IX.—THE NOCTUIDAE. 67 
MELANCHRA BEATA. 
(Melanchra beata, Howes; Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxxviii. 510.) 
(Plate X., fig. 2 ¢@.) 
This species was discovered by Mr. Howes at Ototara, 
near Invercargill. It has also occurred at Hastings and 
at Kapuka and Dunedin. 
The expansion of the wings is 13 inches. The fore-wings 
are warm brown, slightly tinged with pink and faintly clouded 
with ochreous near the reniform; the stigmata are faintly but 
clearly outlined with whitish and dark brown scales; the trans- 
verse lines are indistinct, except the subterminal line which is 
broad, dark brown, edged with whitish towards the termen; it 
is partly broken below the middle, and below this it has a strong 
triangular projection inwards. The hind-wings are _ greyish- 
brown, slightly darker towards the termen. 
The perfect insect appears in October and November, 
and has been taken on blossoms in forest. 
This species has many points in common with Melan- 
chra insignis, of which it may ultimately prove to be a 
variety, although Mr. Philpott, who has seen a series, is 
convineed it is distinct. 
Described and figured from a specimen in Mr. Phil- 
pott’s collection. 
MELANCHRA OLIVEA. 
(Melanchra olivea, Watt, Trans. N.Z. Inst., xlviii. 418.) 
(Plate IX., fig. 30 4, 319; Plate XLIV., fig. 32 9 variety.) 
This fine species was discovered by Miss Olive Shaw 
on Mount Egmont, at an altitude of about 3,300 feet above 
the sea-level. It has also been taken at Dunedin, and at 
Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu. 
The expansion of the wings of the male is 1% inches; of 
the female 13 inches. The antennae of the male are deeply ser- 
rated with the serrations finely ciliated. The fore-wings are 
purplish-brown or greyish-brown; there is a short, deep brown 
basal streak; the first line is waved, slightly oblique, extending 
from } of the costa to 4 of dorsum; the claviform is minute; 
the orbicular large, oval, oblique, open towards costa; the reni- 
form very large, ear-shaped, also open towards costa, its lower 
portion often bent inwards towards base of wing and inwardly 
edged with whitish towards the termen; both reniform and orbi- 
cular are sharply outlined in very dark rich brown; there is 
also a darker greyish-brown cloud partly enveloping the lower 
portions of both stigmata; the median shade is warm brown, 
scarcely visible in the male; the second line is brown finely 
waved indistinct except near the dorsum; the subterminal line 
is rusty-brown, obscurely edged with whitish-ochreous, with two 
blunt tooth-like projections before the tornus; the terminal area 
is obscurely clouded with blackish. The hind-wings are dark 
greyish-brown, paler towards the base. 
This species is very variable. Some of the males are 
a very rich deep brown tinged with claret colour. The 
females are generally paler than the males. Some speci- 
mens, apparently more frequently met with in the south, 
have the fore-wings bluish-grey with reddish-brown mark- 
ings, and the lower portion of the reniform strongly bent 
inwards. (Plate XLIV., fig. 32). Others are much paler 
erey. 
The perfect insect appears from December till March, 
frequenting open country near forest. It is freely 
attracted both by sugar and light. 
Deseribed and figured from specimens kindly fur- 
nished by Messrs. Howes and Watt. 
MELANCHRA EREBIA. 
(Melanchra erebia, Huds., Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand, 
1, 68.) 
(Plate X., fig. 3 9.) 
This species was discovered by Mr. R. Browne in the 
forest on the shores of Erebus Cove, Port Ross, Auckland 
Island, during the scientific expedition of November, 1907. 
The expansion of the wings is a little over 18 inches. The 
head is very roughly scaled, with tufts of scales ai! the bases of 
the antennae, brownish-red mixed with black. The palpi are 
rather short, slender, tipped with dull white. The antennae are 
serrate, each serration being clothed with two extremely fine 
hairs. The thorax is reddish-grey, with moderate anterior crest 
and two rather prominent reddish-brown and black lateral mark- 
ings. The abdomen is dull brownish-grey. The fore-wings are 
moderately broad, with the apex rounded and the termen moder- 
ately bowed; dull grey with black markings, speckled with 
reddish-brown scales, especially near the base;°a broad, much- 
broken transverse line at the base; a wavy, broad, shaded trans- 
verse line at about 4+ connected with the first transverse line 
near the costa and dorsum; a broad pale central band; a branched 
transverse line, the two branches starting at % and % of costa 
respectively, uniting near the middle of the wing, and reaching 
the dorsum at about #; this line is very deeply indented towards 
the termen; a subterminal row of blackish dots. The hind-wings 
are dark brownish-grey. The cilia of all the wings appear to be 
pale brownish-ochreous. 
Described and figured from the single specimen taken 
by Mr. Browne which, unfortunately, is in poor condition. 
MELANCHRA BROMIAS. 
(Melanchra bromias, Meyr., Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1902, 273; 
Hamps., Cat., v. 370, pl. Ixxxviii. 22.) 
(Plate VIIL., fig. 15 9.) 
This very dull and obscurely-marked species appears 
to be common in the Chatham Islands. 
The expansion of the wings is slightly under 14 inches. The 
fore-wings are dark brown slightly purplish-tinged, paler below 
the apex and on the reniform and orbicular stigmata; the first 
line is very obscure; the claviform indistinct edged with black- 
ish; the reniform and orbicular are also narrowly edged with 
blackish; there is a cloudy patch on the lower half of the reni- 
form; the subterminal line is usually broken into a series of 
ochreous dots; there is a very faint tooth-like projection and a 
dark shading above the tornus. The hind-wings are brown, 
darker towards the termen. 
Varies in colouring like its New Zealand allies. This 
species is nearest to M. mutans with which it agrees in the 
rather peculiar character of the single prominent’ denta- 
tion of the subterminal line, but is darker and duller 
coloured, without the black supratornal streak of that 
species, and differing also by the blackish posterior margin 
of the reniform. 
The perfect insect appears in December and January 
and is attracted by light. 


