



68 IX.—THE 
MELANCHRA MOLLIS. 
(Melanchra mollis, Howes, Trans. N.Z. Inst!., xl. 533; xliv. 204.) 
(Plate EX; ie..27 Vas) 
This obseure-looking though distinet species was dis- 
covered by Mr. Howes at Dunedin. It has also occurred 
at Kaitoke and Titahi Bay, near Wellington, and at Christ- 
chureh and Wallacetown, near Invercargill. 
The expansion of the wings is about 1% inches. The fore- 
wings are very pale brownish-ochreous, slightly tinged with 
yellowish-orange in the disc; the transverse lines and stigmata 
are very faintly and finely outlined in pale brown; there is a 
rather conspicuous brown patch on the outer fourth of the dor- 
sum continued as a very oblique wavy interrupted band towards 
the apex; this band is traversed throughout by a wavy, paler 
line; the veins are faintly dotted with blackish and there is a 
series of minute black terminal dots. The hind-wings are pale 
ochreous, clouded with grey towards the termen. 
The perfect insect appears in December. It seems 
to frequent cultivated districts, but is apparently rarely 
met with. 
“MELANCHRA USTISTRIGA. 
(Xylina ustistriga, Walk., Cat. xi. 630; Morrisonia ustistriga, 
Hamps., Cat. v. 377, pl. Ixxxviii. 29; Mamestra ustistriga, 
Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xix. 26; Xylina lignisecta, Walk., 
Cat. xi. 631.) 
“ 
(Plate VIII., fig. 16 @, 17 9. Frontispiece fig. 6 egg; 
Plate I., fig. 29 larva.) 
This beautiful insect seems to be fairly common and 
generally distributed throughout the country. 
The expansion of the wings is about 13 inches. The. fore- 
wings, head, and thorax are pinkish-grey in the male, pale grey 
in female; the orbicular spot is rather large, nearly round, finely 
outlined in black; the reniform is very large, margined with 
black towards the base of the wing, and usually touching the 
orbicular spot or connected with it by a short black line; the 
claviform is triangular, also black margined; there are two 
cloudy oblique lines below the reniform, and a very indistinct, 
irregular subterminal line. The hind-wings and abdomen are 
pale pinkish-grey in male, dull grey in female; the cilia are 
white with a cloudy line. 
This insect varies in the general depth of the colour- 
ing; also .in size, especially in the female. 
The egg is semi-globose, pale green, with numerous 
branching ribs radiating from the micropyle and faint 
transverse ribs between them. 
The larva is dull greyish-brown with blackish sub- 
dorsal and lateral lines; there is a series of pale spots below 
the sub-dorsal line, and an obscure whitish streak below 
the lateral line. It feeds on Miihlenbeckia and honey- 
suckle (Lonicera) during the late summer. 
The perfect insect is very irregular in its appearance, 
but is commonest in the autumn. It passes the winter 
both as a pupa and a moth. It is attracted by sugar and 
light, and may also be found at rest on fences and tree 
trunks in the daytime. 

NOCTUIDAE. 
MELANCHRA AVERILLA. 
(Melanchra averilla, Huds., Ent. Mo. Mag. lvii. 255.) 
(Plate XLIX., fig. 18 9.) 
This species was discovered by, Miss Averil Lysaght 
on Mount Egmont at an altitude of about 3,000 feet. 
The expansion of the wings of the female is about 1% 
inches. The fore-wings are pinkish-brown, much suffused with 
grey towards the base and termen; the principal markings are 
finely outlined in black; there is a conspicuous curved longitu- 
dinal streak from the base to about 4; the first line is very in- 
distinct; the claviform is small, cone-shaped; the orbicular large, 
irregularly oval, almost completely outlined in black; the reni- 
form also large, outlined in brown towards base, but otherwise 
indicated by faint grey shading; the second line is faint, grey, 
sharply bent inwards before the dorsum; there is a series of 
dark-margined whitish subterminal dots and a dark V-shaped 
spot above the tornus; the tornal area is clouded with brownish- 
ochreous. The cilia are also brownish ochreous. The hind-wings 
are greyish-ochreous, darker towards the termen. 
This species is closely allied to Melanchra ustistriga 
but may be easily separated from that species by its con- 
spicuous black basal streak, less distinct markings, smaller 
and less pointed claviform stigmata and paler colouring. 
The perfect insect appears in December. 
Described and figured from specimens kindly supplied 
by Miss Lysaght. 
MELANCHRA PARACAUSTA. 
(Mamestra paracausta, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst, xix. 15.) 
(Plate VIII, fig. 23 @, 24 9.) 
This interesting species has occurred in the North 
Island at Ohakune and on Mount Ruapehu. In the South 
Island it has been found at Mount Arthur, Castle Hill, 
Macetown, and Invereargill. It is probably generally dis- 
tributed in the far south. 
The expansion of the wings is about 13 inches. The fore- 
wings. are dull white with an irregular, central, longitudinal, 
blackish-brown streak becoming very broad towards the termen; 
there is an oval, reddish-brown blotch near the base; the trans- 
verse lines and stigmata are sometimes faintly outlined in 
reddish-brown but are often obsolete; two conspicuous elliptic, 
white marks are situated on the termen near the tornus. The 
hind-wings are pale grey, with an obscure central shade and a 
series of brownish dots along the termen. 
The species appears somewhat variable. In mountain 
specimens the white colouring is largely replaced by pale 
yellowish-brown, or ochreous grey, and the blackish-brown 
median streak is often absent. 
The larva, according to Mr. Philpott, is about 14 inches 
long, dull whitish, with the dorsal and sub-dorsal lines 
slightly darker ; the lateral stripe is more pronounced, and 
the whole larva is finely speckled ; the head is pale brownish 
with darker markings, and the dorsal surface of the second 
segment is also darker. 
The perfect insect appears from October till February, 
and is attracted by sugar and light. It is essentially a 
southern and mountain species, but’ is seldom abundant. 
