X.—THE 
whenua, near Wellington, Christchurch, Mount Hutt, 
Dunedin, Lake Wakatipu and Invercargill. 
The expansion of the wings of the male is 1} inches; of the 
female almost 14 inches. The fore-wings, which have a deep 
curved indentation below the apex and a marked projection above 
the middle of the termen, are very dull brownish-ochreous, much 
darker and slightly tinged with reddish in the female. The fore- 
wings of the male are traversed with numerous fine wavy darker 
transverse lines, often dotted with black where they cross the 
veins; the lines at the edges of the basal patch and median band 
are also stronger than the others; there are several curved 
blackish bars on the costa; two on the dorsum near the base; 
a conspicuous black crescentic mark below the costa near the 
apex and a terminal series of black dots. The hind-wings are 
dull greyish-ochreous in the male, reddish-ochreous in the female, 
with a series of terminal black dots, the termen itself being 
strongly waved. In the female all the markings are much less 
distinct and the whole of the median band is more or less clouded 
with blackish-grey. 
The perfect insect appears from September till May, 
and frequents forest. Although formerly stated to be 
very common it is now rarely met with. 
Genus 13—PARADETIS, Meyr. 
Face smooth. Antennae in both sexes bipectinated, apex 
simple. Palpi short, slender, loosely scaled. Fore-wings: areole 
simple. Hind-wings in both sexes with 8 connected with cell 
by oblique bar before angle; in ¢@ 2 absent. 
(Plate C., figs. 27 and 28 neuration of Paradetis porphyrias 4.) 
Represented by a single endemic species. If related 
to any New Zealand genus it must probably be to Asap- 
hodes, but the modification of hind-wing is very remark- 
able; it resembles that found in Tatosoma and its allies, 
but there does not seem to be any other relationship with 
them, nor is there any apparent lobe or gland in the male 
which would account for the absorption of vein 2. This 
absorption, with reduction of the dorsal area, has been 
compensated by extension in the costal area, and conver- 
sion of the normal anastomosis of 8 into a connection by 
bar only, and this structure has been ultimately trans- 
ferred to the female also, notwithstanding that in this sex 
there was no need for it, 2 being present as usual. (Mey- 
rick. ) 
PARADETIS PORPHYRIAS. 
(Parysatis porphyrias, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. 58; Paradetis 
porphyrias, Meyr., ib. xviii., 184.) 
(Plate Xt, fiz. 37 94, 389.) 
This interesting little insect has occurred in the North 
Island at Silverstream and Wainui-o-mata, near Welling- 
ton. In the South Island it has been found at Mount 
Arthur, Castle Hill, the Otira Gorge, Lake Wakatipu, the 
Hunter Mountains, and Invercargill. 
The expansion of the wings of the male is about # inch; of 
the female fully ~ inch. The fore-wings of the male are deep 
purplish-brown; there is a wavy, reddish, transverse line at about 
4 and another at about %; between these two lines near the 
dorsum there are often several more or less distinct, yellow 
marks; there is a conspicuous orange-yellow patch at the apex. 
GEOMETRIDAE. 109 
The hind-wings are deep purplish-brown. The cilia of all the 
wings are white. The fore-wing has the apex hooked and the 
termen deeply excavated above and below the middle. The 
female is very much paler; the lines are more distinct and the 
veins are marked in brown. 
The perfect insect appears from December till Feb- 
ruary. It frequents rather open spots in the forest, and 
flies in a very fussy manner close to the ground amongst 
Paesia scaberula and other ferns, which are usually abun- 
dant in such situations. It rests with the fore-wings placed 
slightly backwards, the antennae extended forwards and 
the end of the abdomen turned upwards, and when the 
fern fronds wither they turn purplish-brown like the moth. 
It is consequently very inconspicuous and difficult to 
capture. Thus, no doubt, it is often overlooked, and 
is perhaps much commoner than is generally supposed. 
Genus 14—XANTHORHOE Hiibn. 
Face with cone of projecting scales. Antennae in ¢@ bipecti- 
nated, apex usually simple. Palpi moderate, rough-scaled. Fore- 
wings: areole double. Hind-wings normal. 
(Plate C., figs. 37 and 38 neuration of Xanthorhoe clarata.) 
A cosmopolitan genus of considerable extent, but’ rela- 
tively far more prominent in New Zealand than anywhere 
else. There are no less than sixty New Zealand species 
already known and many others are no doubt awaiting 
discovery, especially in the less explored mountainous dis- 
tricts of the’ South Island. Of these sixty species three 
are confined to the North Island and thirty-one to the 
South Island. Twenty-two species are common to both 
islands, two are restricted to the Chatham Islands, and two 
to the Auckland Islands. The larvae appear to be very 
secretive in their habits, feeding on low plants close to the 
ground, and at present very few are known to us. 
XANTHORHOE CHLAMYDOTA. 
(Epyazxa chlamydota, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi., 72.) 
(Plate XIII., fig. 39 9.) 
This very handsome species has occurred at Tokaanu, 
Waiouru and at Wellington in the North Island, and at 
Christchureh, Akaroa, Mount Cook, Dunedin and Inverear- 
gill in the South Island. 
The expansion of the wings is 14 inches. The fore-wings 
are pale ochreous, with dark, purplish-brown basal patch and 
median band. The basal patch is slightly paler near the body, 
and strongly curved outwards towards the termen; it is followed 
by several very fine pale brown transverse lines. The median 
band is very broad; its inner edge is concave, and its outer edge 
has two rounded projections, one very large about the middle 
and another much smaller near the dorsum, the middle portion 
of this median band is considerably paler than the edges, and its 
two projections are bordered with bright red. The upper part 
of the termen is ochreous, with several faint brown marks; the 
lower part is dull grey. The hind-wings are dark ochreous, with 
a few obscure purplish-grey markings; the termen of the hind- 
wing projects slightly near the middle,’and is rather jagged. 
This species varies a little in the depth of its colouring, 
but the markings appear to be constant. 
Wl 
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