



128 X.—THE 
Most of the insects comprised in this genus inhabit 
high mountains. They are of moderate size and usually 
gaily coloured with vivid markings. All are very closely 
allied to Notoreas, from which they ean only be distin- 
guished by the absence of pectinations in the antennae of 
the male. This fact has caused considerable difficulty in 
correctly placing species in the two genera, as in some 
cases it has happened that male specimens were not avail- 
able, 
DASYURIS HECTORI. 
(EHuclidia hectori, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soe. Lond. 1877, 387, pl. xlii., 
4; Statira hectori, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi., 91; Stath- 
monyma hectori, ib. xviii, 184.) 
(Plate XV., fig. 21 @, 204, variety.) 
This very striking species has occurred in the South 
Island at Mount Arthur, Mount Hutt, Arthur’s Pass, 
Macetown, the mountains around Lake Wakatipu, and the 
Hunter Mountains. 
The expansion of the wings is 14 inches. All the wings are 
dark greyish-black, speckled with bluish-grey scales. The fore- 
wings have four or five rather indistinct wavy darker transverse 
lines, and a very broad darker shading near the termen; there 
is a fine white mark near the apex, continued as an indistinct 
wavy subterminal line. The hind-wings have three or four 
darker transverse bands, and a very broad terminal shading; 
there are also three or four more or less distinct whitish trans- 
verse lines; the cilia are whitish barred with dark grey. On 
the under side all the wings are dark blackish-grey, traversed 
by five or six broad wavy whitish lines. 
A variety of this insect (fig. 20) is sometimes met with, 
considerably smaller and paler in colouring than the type. 
The expansion of the wings in this form is about 14 inches, 
and the ground colour is pale grey with darker grey mark- 
ings. No distinct or constant differences exist, however, 
which would warrant specific separation from the type, 
and intermediate forms also occur. 
The perfect insect appears in December, January and 
February, and frequents rocky crags on mountains, at 
elevations of from 4,700 to 5,700 feet above the sea-level. 
It delights to rest on blackened rocks in the hottest sun- 
shine, but dashes away with the greatest rapidity on the 
approach of the collector, so that it is generally rather 
difficult to capture. 
DASYURIS OCTANS. 
(Dasyuris octans, Huds., Ent. Mo. Mag. lix., 179.) 
(Plate LI., fig. 15 4.) 
This species was discovered by Mr. S. Lindsay on the 
Hunter Mountains, near Lake Manapouri, at an elevation 
of about 4,000 feet above the sea-level. 
The expansion of the wings is slightly under 1 inch. All 
the wings are extremely pale orange-ochreous with black mark- 
ings. The fore-wings have the apex rather rounded and the 
termen somewhat bowed outwards; there is a small white basal 
patch speckled with black; beyond this are two dentate trans- 
verse lines abruptly bent below costa; between this and the 
median band there is a broad transverse band of the ground 

GEOMETRIDAE. 
colour; the median band is narrow with marked constrictions 
below costa and above dorsum, these constrictions being 
deepest on the outer edge of the band; the black lines forming 
the median band are very indefinite strongly dentate, the centre 
of the band is heavily sprinkled with white scales; the terminal 
area is broadly suffused with black, broadest towards apex; 
there are many white scales interspersed with the black and 
traces of a wavy whitish subterminal line; a terminal series of 
black marks. All the cilia are cream coloured barred with 
black. The hind-wings have an oblique blackish basal patch 
speckled with white; two wavy blackish transverse bands on 
the median area; a very broad black terminal band, partially 
traversed by a fine wavy subterminal line. The body is black 
thickly speckled with white scales. 
This species rather closely resembles the small grey 
variety of Dasyuwris hectori, but’ may be distinguished by 
iis smaller size, much narrower and more strongly dentate 
median band and faint orange-ochreous tinge. 
The perfect insect appears in December. « 
DASYURIS ANCEPS. 
(Fidonia anceps, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soe. Lond. 1877, 392, pl. xliii., 
3; Statira anceps, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi., 91; Stath- 
monyma anceps, ib. xviii., 184.) 
(Plate XV., fig. 25 9.) 
This species has been taken in the South Island on 
the Dun Mountain Nelson, Mount Arthur, Mount Peel, 
Castle Hill, Arthur’s Pass, the Takitimu Mountains, and 
the mountains at the head of Lake Wakatipu, at elevations 
between 4,000 and 5,000 feet above the sea-level. 
The expansion of the wings is about 14 inches. The fore- 
wings are bluish-grey; there are four wavy Dblackish-grey trans- 
verse lines, the three lines nearest the base are double, and the 
line nearest the termen is shaded towards the base. The hind- 
wings are pale yellow; there is a small dusky area, near the 
base, then a slightly curved blackish line, followed by two 
curved blackish lines close together; there is a series of irregular 
subterminal blotches and a black terminal band broadest at the 
apex. The cilia of all the wings are bluish-grey, barred with 
dusky black. 
A smaller and more vividly-coloured form of this 
species is found on the ‘‘Mineral Belt’’ on the Dun Moun- 
tain, near Nelson. 
The perfect insect appears in December, January and- 
February, and frequents bare rocky situations on the 
mountains where it is sometimes very abundant. The 
bluish-grey colouring of the fore-wings affords this species 
a most efficient protection from enemies, whilst resting on 
the rocky ground which it always frequents. 
DASYURIS ENYSII. 
(Fidonia enysii, Butl., Proce. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1877, 391, pl. xlii., 
9; Statira homomorpha, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi., 91; 
Statira enysii, ib. xvii., 65; Stathmonyma enysii, ib. xviii., 
184.) 
(Plate XV., fig. 46 ¢@.) 
This species has occurred in the South Island at Mount 
Hutt. 
