X.—THE GEOMETRIDAE. 85 
Genus 1.—TATOSOMA Buti. 
Face smooth. Antennae gradually dilated from base to 
near apex, apex attenuated, in @ simple. Abdomen in ¢ ex- 
tremely long. Fore-wings: areole double. Hind-wings small, in 
@ with dorsal lobe folded into a pocket, 8 free, connected with 
cell by bar before angle, in Q neuration normal. 
An endemic genus; it is, however, a closely related 
development of the characteristically South American 
genus Rhopalodes, from which it differs by the unusual 
elongation of the male abdomen, and the absence of one 
of the proximal spurs of the hind tibia. The habits and 
life-histories of these curious insects should be an interest- 
ing study. 
It will be seen on reference to Plate C, figs. 22 and 28, 
which represent the structure of the hind-wings of the 
male and female of Tatosoma tipulata respectively, that in 
the male veins 1 and 2 are absent, having no doubt become 
absorbed during the formation of the characteristic sexual 
lobe; vein 8 is connected with the margin of the cell by 
an oblique bar, this being probably due to an extension 
of the wing in the costal region, compensating for the loss 
in the dorsal region due to the above-mentioned lobe. In 
the hind-wings of the female the normal neuration of the 
family is almost preserved, the only peculiar feature con- 
sisting in the origin of veins 6 and 7 from a point on 
the margin of the cell. 
We have eleven species, of which one is confined to 
the North Island, three to the South Island, and seven 
common to both islands. 
TATOSOMA LESTEVATA. 
(Cidaria lestevata, Walk., Cat., xxv. 1416. Sauris ranata, Feld. 
Reis. Nov., pl. exxxi. 11. Tatosoma lestevata, Meyr., Trans. 
N.Z. Inst. xvi. 67.) 
(Plate XIL, fig. 4 4, 59.) 
This beautiful species has occurred in the North Island 
at Thames, Wanganui, Morere, at the foot of the Tararua 
Range, and at Wainuiomata, near Wellington, and in the 
South Island at Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin and Lake 
Wakatipu. 
The expansion of the wings.is 12 inches. The fore-wings 
are vivid-green; there are four wavy, black, transverse lines; 
the first near the base, the second a little before the middle, the 
third considerably beyond the middle, and the fourth near the 
termen,; the subterminal line ,is very faint towards the tornus, 
and it emits three or four very sharp, longitudinal, black, tooth- 
like marks; all the transverse lines are much stronger ,where 
they cross the principal veins. The hind-wings are very pale 
yellowish-green. i 
The perfect insect appears from November till Feb- 
ruary, but is rarely met with. 
TATOSOMA TIPULATA. 
(Cidaria tipulata, Walk., Cat., xxv. 1417; Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. 
xliii. 71; C. collectaria, Walk., Cat., xxv. 1419; Tatosoma 
agrionata, Huds. N.Z. Moths, 40, pl.' vi. figs. 26, 27; Sauris 
mistata, Feld., Reis. Nov., pl. exxxi. 12.) 
Chelate ell te se a, Som) 
This fine species has occurred commonly in the North 
Island at Wellington. It is generally distributed in the 
South Island, and has also been found at Stewart Island. 
The expansion of the wings is about 14 inches. The fore- 
wings are bright-green traversed by numerous black, wavy, 
transverse lines; these black lines are grouped into four more or 
less distinct bands, the outermost of which is interrupted at each 
of the veins; there is a conspicuous black dot in the middle of 
the wing, a number of small triangular, subterminal black marks 
and a series of minute terminal black dots. The hind-wings are 
ochreous, tinged with green towards the termen. In the female 
the abdomen is much shorter, and the hind-wings are larger than 
in the male. The palpi are fully twice as long as in the female 
of T. agrionata. 
The perfect insect appears from September till April. 
It frequents dense forests, and is generally found at rest 
on the trunks of trees. In these situations the pattern 
of the fore-wings is extremely protective, the whole insect 
bearing the closest possible resemblance to a patch of moss. 
This species may also be taken at sugar, and sometimes 
at light, but I have found that it can be obtained most 
plentifully by a careful scrutiny of the tree-trunks in a 
favourable locality. As a rule I think that the males 
are considerably commoner than the females. I have 
noticed them in the proportion of about four to one. 
According to Mr. Philpott the larva feeds on Nothofagus 
cliffortioides. and Weimmannia racemosa.* 
TATOSOMA AGRIONATA. 
(Cidaria agrionata, Walk., Cat. xxv., 1417; Meyr., Trans. N.Z. 
Inst., xliii, 71; C. inclinataria, Walk., Cat., xxv., 1418. 
(Plate XII, figs. 6 @, 79.) 
This species has occurred on the lower slopes of the 
Tararuas and at Wellington in the North Island, and at 
Christchurch, Lake Wakatipu and Invercargill in the South 
Island. It is very closely allied to T. tipulata, and was 
for many years confused with that species. 
The expansion of the wings of the male is 14 inches; of 
the female 1% inches. On the fore-wings the green colouring is 
more or less confined to the neighbourhood of the veins and is 
much less pronounced than in 7. tipulata; the basal and sub- 
terminal areas are traversed by several narrow cream-coloured 
bands, which are especially evident in the male, and the black 
markings are more extensive and slightly tinged with dull red- 
dish. The abdomen of the male is considerably shorter than in 
the same sex of T. tipulata and the anal lobe of the hind-wings 
nearly twice as large. 
The perfect insect appears from November till March, 
frequenting forest, where it is generally captured resting 
on tree-trunks. It seems to be a rarer insect than 7. tipu- 

*Trans. N.Z. Inst., xlix. 201. 

