




92 Lo THh 
CHLOROCLYSTIS PARALODES. 
(Chloroclystis paralodes, Meyr. Trans. N.Z. Inst., xlv., 238.) 
(Plate X1., "fig. 20 @, 21 9.5; Plate I. figs. 40,41 larvae.) 
This very beautiful insect is found fairly commonly 
in the neighbourhood of Wellington. <A large very vividly 
coloured form also occurs in the forests on Mount Egmont 
and Mount Ruapehu, about 3,000 feet above the sea-level. 
The expansion of the wings is slightly under 1 inch. 
The fore-wings of the male are rather dull green with 
pale blackish-brown markings; there is a_ distinct basal 
transverse line; a curved transverse band before’ the 
middle irregularly waved and becoming much wider a little 
before the dorsum; a series of wavy transverse marks on the 
costa; ad conspicuous crescentic black mark in the upper por- 
tion of the disc at about three-quarters followed first by a whitish 
line and then by a blackish patch which emits two fine lines 
meeting the termen; there are several fine wavy subterminal 
lines followed by a clear green terminal area. The hind-wings 
are pale pinkish-white clouded with green towards the base and 
termen; there is one strong, and several faint blackish bars on 
the dorsum, continued across the wing as very faint wavy trans- 
verse lines. The cilia of all the wings are pink strongly barred 
with black. In the female the fore-wings are usually a brighter 
green; the disc is often more or less clouded with white and 
yellow, and the principal veins are marked in white, but these 
characters may be present to some extent in male specimens 
also. A very rare form of the female is entirely white with 
blackish markings. 
The larva, which feeds on the leaves and blossoms of 
the common veronica (Veronica salicefolia), is about 2 inch 
in length, somewhat attenuated towards the head, dull 
green with a prominent yellow lateral ridge and the seg- 
mental divisions marked in yellow; the terminal segment 
and anal proleg are pale brown. Some larvae have a dark 
green dorsal band margined with short black bars on each 
segment, whilst in others the dorsal band is bright reddish- 
brown. 
This larva is very sluggish in its habits during the day, 
at which time it can only be dislodged from its foodplant 
with great difficulty, and the highly protective nature of 
its colouring renders its detection a hard matter. At 
night, however, it may easily be found, with the aid of 
a good lantern, and is most abundant when the veronicas 
are in flower. 
The pupa state is spent in the earth and, in the case 
of autumnal larvae, lasts the whole winter. 
The perfect insect appears in captivity as early as 
August or September, but is seldom then met with at large. 
In the autumn, however, it may be found abundantly at 
night on the veronica blossoms, in company with its larva. 
Thus it is practically certain that there are two broods in 
a season; the moths of the spring emergence giving rise to 
larvae which feed on the leaves of the veronica during 
November and December. These summer larvae become 
the moths which appear from February till April, and are 
the parents of the autumnal larvae. 


GEOMETRIDAE. 
CHLOROCLYSTIS SEMOCHLORA. 
(Chloroclystis semochlora, Meyr. Trans. N.Z. Inst. li., 349.) 
CPlate ex LL ies d hoe) 
This beautiful species has occurred in the forest on 
the lower slopes of Mount Egmont at an elevation of about 
3,000 feet above the sea-level. 
The expansion of the wings is slightly over 1 inch. It 
is very closely allied to Chloroclystis paralodes, but is larger, 
greener, and quite distinct by absence of black band on abdomen, 
broader wings without the black markings of paralodes, but with 
a characteristic grey spot beyond median band, and somewhat 
shorter fascicles of antennae. 
The perfect’ insect appears in February. 
CHLOROCLYSTIS ZATRICHA. 
(Chloroclystis zatricha, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xlv., 24.) 
This species, which is apparently extremely similar 
to Chloroclystis paralodes, has been taken at Wellington. 
The expansion, of the wings is about ¢ inch. “Palpi 1%. 
Antennal ciliations 34. Abdomen with blackish subbasal band. 
Fore-wings elongate-triangular, termen obliquely rounded; light 
brownish-ochreous partially suffused with dull-greenish; a curved 
blackish stria near base; near beyond this a fascia of light red- 
brownish suffusion, marked with black on costa; median band 
margined anteriorly by a light brownish-tinged fascia edged 
with blackish striae, and posteriorly by a blackish spot on costa, 
a black subcrescentic mark above middle, and some black dots 
below this; a blackish transverse discal dot on end of cell; prae- 
subterminal fascia tinged with brownish on upper half, marked 
with black towards costa, and with a spot of black suffusion 
above middle; above tornus narrowly brownish; an interrupted 
black terminal line: cilia light-greyish, basal half pale-brownish 
spotted with blackish. Hind-wings elongate, unusually narrow, 
termen rounded; lower half of disc anteriorly clothed more 
densely than usual with long hairs; ochreous-grey-whitish, dorsal 
half suffused with light ochreous, edges of median band indicated 
on dorsal half by striae of blackish irroration; a round dark- 
grey discal dot; a blackish-grey terminal line: cilia whitish-grey, 
basal half crimson-tinged and spotted with dark grey.” 
I am unable to identify this form. The above is a 
copy of the original description. 
CHLOROCLYSTIS LACUSTRIS. 
(Chhoroclystis lacustris, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xlv., 24.) 
(Plate XL; fig. 19 “A.) 
This is another obscure species which has been taken 
on Arthur’s Pass and on the Lake Harris Track at the 
head of Lake Wakatipu, at elevations of about 3,000 feet 
above the sea-level. 
The expansion of the wings is about 1 inch. The fore- 
wings are rather elongate with the apex somewhat produced 
and the termen oblique very slightly bowed, pale green; there 
is a small reddish-brown basal patch; a fine green line, then a 
moderately broad band and another fine green line; a very 
broad dark brown median band and a very broken broad brown 
subterminal band; the cilia are greenish-grey barred with 
blackish. The hind-wings are greyish-ochreous with numerous 
faint brown streaks on the dorsum and dark brown terminal 
marks; the cilia are pale ochreous barred with dark brown. 
