



108 
beyond the middle, a subterminal line, and a brown shading on 
the termen, broader near the apex of the wing. The hind-wings 
have a brown central dot and two transverse lines. The cilia 
of all the wings are brownish. 
This species varies considerably in the distinctness of 
the brown markings, and there is occasionally a transverse 
line near the base of the fore-wings. 
The perfect insect appears in February and March, 
and frequents open tussock country, often at elevations of 
from 2,000 to 4,000 feet above the sea-level. It is, I think, 
rather a local species, though abundant where found. It 
occurs in considerable numbers on the chalk range near 
Kekerangu in the Marlborough Province. 
ASAPHODES MEGASPILATA, 
(Larentia megaspilata, Walk., Cat. xxiv., 1198; Cidaria assata, 
Feld., Reis. Nov. pl. cxxxi., 4; Cidaria nehata, ib. pl. exxxi., 
6; Harpalyce megaspilata, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi., 63; 
Proboluea megaspilata, Meyr., ib. xviii., 184.) 
(Plate XIIIL., figs. 14, 15 @ varieties, 16 9; Frontispiece fig. 15 
egg; Plate I., fig. 21 larva.) 
This species is very common, and generally distributed 
throughout the country. 
The expansion of the wings is about 1 inch. The fore-wings 
are dull ochreous; there is a series of fine brown and reddish 
wavy transverse lines near the base, forming a rather broad 
basal patch; then a pale central area containing a blackish dot 
above the middle; next, a very distinct band made up of several 
fine wavy grey lines, with a rounded projection near the middle; 
this is followed by numerous pale brown curved marks forming 
more or less broken transverse lines; there is always an oblique 
slaty patch below the apex, and a series of minute dots on the 
termen. The hind-wings are ochreous brown, slightly darker 
towards the base, with numerous indistinct wavy brown lines. 
The apex of the fore-wing is very pointed and slightly hooked 
downwards, the termen is bowed near the middle. The female 
is much duller and more uniform in colour than the male, and 
the antennae are simple. 
This species is very variable. Some male specimens 
have several more or less distinct white markings on the 
middle of the fore-wings; the transverse bands also differ 
considerably in both size and intensity. The females are 
not’ so variable; but m some specimens the bands on the 
fore-wings are almost absent, whilst others have the fore- 
wing rich brown, with a very conspicuous dark central 
band. 
The egg is oval, cylindrical, pale ochreous covered 
with numerous shallow hexagonal depressions. 
The young larva, when first excluded from the egg 
is barely 4 inch in length, pale ochreous; there is a series 
of short fine brownish-black parallel lines on the thoracic 
segments and on the anterior portions of the other seg- 
ments; the spaces between these lines are more or less 
clouded with pink; the head is greyish-ochreous mottled 
with blackish-brown. At this early stage the larvae stand 
on their prolegs with the rest of their body quite upright, 
the head and anterior segments being twisted round and 
slightly bent downwards. This device gives the whole 
insect a strong resemblance to a minute knobbed fungus. 

X.—THE GEOMETRIDAE. 
The length of the full-grown larva is $ inch; the body is 
moderately stout, slightly tapering at each end; dull rusty-brown 
paler towards the extremities; there is a dark-edged pale dorsal 
line on the thoracic segments; a dark dorsal line on segments 
5 to 9 with dark loop-like markings on each side of it; a con- 
spicuous black forked marking on the back of segment 9; a row 
of black warts on segments 10 and 11 and, in addition to these 
leading markings, the rest of the upper surface is covered with 
numerous fine lighter and darker lines; the whole larva is also 
clothed with short black bristles. 
This caterpillar feeds on the dead leaves of Geniostoma 
ligustrifolum. It lives through the whole winter, amongst 
the fallen leaves, under the bushes of its foodplant and 
is of extremely sluggish habits, often remaining quite 
motionless for hours together. 
The pupa is very highly polished, dark brown tinged 
with greenish. It is enclosed in a frail cocoon, constructed 
of a dead leaf on the surface of the ground. 
The perfect insect appears from October till April, 
and frequents forest, where it is generally very abundant. 
It is a difficult insect to identify on the wing, and in con- 
sequence is often captured under a misapprehension. 
This species sometimes hybernates in the imago state, 
as we may occasionally see specimens abroad on mild even- 
ings in the winter. Most individuals, however, pass the 
winter in the larval condition. 
ASAPHODES RUFESCENS. 
(Larentia (?) rufescens, Butl., Cist. Ent. ii., 502; Hurydice cymo- 
semd, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi., 68. Hurydice rufescens, 
ib. xvii., 63. Homodotis rujescens, ib. xviii., 184.) 
(Plates fies Wig, eLSeor) 
This insect has occurred commonly at Dunedin and 
Invercargill and on Stewart Island, but is not nearly so 
generally distributed as Asaphodes megaspilata. 
The expansion of the wings is about 14 inches. Although 
superficially very like A. megaspilata this is quite a distinct 
species and may be readily separated by the straighter termen 
of the fore-wings; fainter sub-apical mark; general redder tinge 
and slightly larger size. The fore-wings of the female are pale 
ochreous-brown, slightly darker towards the termen, the 
numerous wavy transverse lines being very indistinct. The male 
is often very variable and, in some of the pale varieties, the 
outer portion of the median band of the fore-wings is very con- 
spicuous. : 
The perfect’ insect appears from October till March, 
and is found in lowland forest, gardens, and plantations. 
Tt is much attached to hedges of Cupressus macrocarpa 
and flies freely at evening dusk. 
Described and figured from specimens kindly supplied 
by Messrs. Howes and Philpott. 
ASAPHODES PARORA. 
(Harpalyce humeraria, Meyr. (nec. Walk.), Trans. N.Z. Inst. 
xvi., 64; Harpalyce parora, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvii., 
63; Probolaea parora, ib. xviii, 184.) 
(Plate XIII., fig. 24\ 4, 25 9.) 
This species, which is the largest of the genus, has 
occurred on Mount Ruapehu, at Wanganui, Lake Horo- 
