
IX.—THE 
The perfect insect appears from September till March, 
and may be taken at evening dusk on Veronica blossoms, or 
at sugar. 
MELANCHRA INSIGNIS. 
(Buplexia insignis, Walk., Cat., xxxiii. 724; Morrisonia insignis, 
Hamps., Cat., v. 368, pl. Ixxxviii. 20; Xylina turbida, 
Walk., Cat. xxxiii. 754; Hadena skelloni, ButL., Cist. Ent., 
ii. 547; Mamestra polychroa, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xix. 
16.) 
(Plate VIII., fig. 10 4; 11, 12 9 varieties; Frontispiece, 
figs. 7 and 8 egg.) 
This pretty species seems to be common and generally 
distributed throughout the country, and has been found 
in the Chatham Islands. 
The expansion of the wings is about 1% inches. The fore- 
wings are pinkish-brown; there is a short- black streak near the 
centre of the wing at the base, and a cloudy shading along vein 
1; the orbicular, reniform, and claviform spots are large, mar- 
gined first with green and then with black; there is a fine, paler 
subterminal line edged with green, and broken by two sharp, 
tooth-like markings; beyond this the ground colour of the wing 
is much darker. The hind-wings are dull brown, darker towards 
termen; the cilia are brown with white tips. The antennae of 
the male are slightly bipectinated, the length of the pectinations 
being variable. The general colouring of the female is usually 
darker than that of the male; the outer portion of the reniform 
is often filled in with clear white and, in some specimens, the 
fore-wings are more or less suffused with bluish-grey with the 
ground colour rusty-ochreous. 
There is great variation in this insect. Some males 
are suffused with rusty-ochreous with the markings beyond 
the reniform obsolete. In all the forms the two tooth- 
like breaks in the subterminal line are conspicuous and 
constitute a good distinction between this species and the 
numerous varieties of M. mutans. 
The egg is semi-globose, considerably flattened above and 
beneath. A number of branching ribs radiate from the micro- 
pyle, the spaces between them being slightly ribbed transversely. 
Its colour is pale green, becoming dark brown in the cent're as 
the enclosed embryo develops. The young larvae emerge in 
about a fortnight. At this time the two anterior pairs of pro- 
legs are very short, causing the caterpillar to loop up its back 
when walking. In colour the young larva is pale brown, with 
numerous black warts emitting several long, stiff bristles. It 
is very active, and busily devours the soft green portions of the 
leaves, leaving the harder membrane untouched. Twelve days 
later the larva becomes pale green in colour, and moults for 
the first time, after which traces of subdorsal and lateral lines 
present themselves. Growth then proceeds with great rapidity, 
and in another eleven days the larva again sheds its skin. The 
last moult occurs a fortnight later. 
The full-grown larva is pale greenish-brown, inclining to 
yellow on the ventral surface. The lateral lines consist of a 
series of black markings near the posterior margin of each seg- 
ment; the subdorsal lines are represented by four oblique black 
marks on each side of the four posterior segments of the larva. 
The region between these lines is much clouded with yellowish- 
green or pink, the larvae having a tendency to diverge into pink 
and green varieties. The anal segment is dull yellow. The head 
is brown, with two black stripes and several black dots. 
These larvae feed on a variety of low plants. They 
are only abroad at night, remaining underground or closely 
E 
NOCTUIDAE. 65 
secreted amongst the stems of their foodplant during the 
daytime, and hence they are very rarely observed. The 
pupa state is spent in the earth. 
The perfect insect may be found almost throughout 
the entire year, coming freely to both sugar and blossoms. 
It’ is most abundant in the autumn and early winter. 
MELANCHRA XANTHOGRAMMA. 
(Melanchra xcanthogramma, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., 
sling, alalye) 
This species, which has occurred at Wellington, Nelson 
and Waiho Gorge in company with Melanchra insignis, is 
stated to be distinguished from that’ species by its shorter 
antennal pectinations and the absence of the well-defined 
basal streak of fore-wings. Mr. Philpott has pointed out 
to me that in addition to these characters M. xanthogramma 
differs from M. insignis in having narrower fore-wings; 
more prominent palpi, perhaps owing to the second joint 
being less hairy beneath. The hair on the eyes is also 
shorter and less dense than in M. insignis. I am, however, 
unable to satisfactorily separate the two forms by the 
characters assigned to them. 
MELANCHRA PLENA. 
(Erana plena, Walk., Cat: xxxiii. 744. Mamestra sphagnea, Feld., 
Reis. Nov., pl. cix. 17. Dianthoecia viridis, Butl., Cist. Ent. 
ii. 547. Mamestra plena, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. xix. 17.) 
(Plate VIII., figs. 3, 4 @ varieties. Plate I., fig. 25 larva.) 
This pretty green species seems to be common and 
generally distributed throughout the country. It also 
occurs on Stewart Island. 
The expansion of the wings is from 1% to 1% inches. It 
closely resembles Melanchra insignis except that the head, thorax 
and fore-wings are entirely suffused with green; there is no cen- 
tral black streak at the base, and the orbicular, reniform, and 
claviform spots are smaller. 
There is considerable variation in the depth of the 
green colouring and in the extent and intensity of the 
blackish markings. Some female specimens are very 
thickly speckled with blackish-grey, and in these the white 
reniform and pale subterminal lines are very conspicuous. 
The larva, which feeds on the common fuchsia 
(Fuchsia excorticata), as well as on low plants, is about 14 
inches in length, of fairly uniform thickness, slightly atten- 
uated towards the head and thickened posteriorly. Its 
general colour is pale pinkish-brown becoming pale green 
on the ventral surface; there is an obscure wavy blackish 
lateral line, stronger near the middle of each segment; a 
wavy blackish subdorsal line stronger near the middle of 
the posterior segments and appearing from above as a 
series of very slightly oblique blackish marks. This larva 
has been found in November and in March, so that it is 
probable there are at least two broods in the year. It is 
sluggish in habit, secreting itself during the daytime, and 
only coming abroad to feed at night. The pupa is enclosed 
in the earth. 

