


















































a narrow black line and a broad reddish-brown line; the median 
band is broad, slaty-grey, with a reddish-brown discal dot; its 
outer edge is bounded by an extremely sharply angulated series 
of lines, consisting of a narrow reddish-brown line, a narrow 
black line, a narrow yellowish-white line, and a cloudy orange- 
brown line; the terminal area is dark-brown with a very fine, 
wavy, whitish subterminal line and a series of small reddish- 
brown spots. The hind-wings are golden-yellow, with the basal 
and terminal portions broadly clouded with black; there is a 
very wavy central black line. The cilia of all the wings are 
brownish-grey. The female is paler, and much less distinctly 
marked than the male. 
The perfect’ insect appears in February. 
LYTHRIA CHRYSOPEDA. 
(Arcteuthes chrysopeda, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. xx., 48.) 
(Plate XV., fig. 2 4,3 9.) 
This bright-looking little species has been taken in the 
South Island at Mount Arthur. 
The expansion of the wings is about 3 inch. The fore-wings 
are very dark, glossy brown with orange-yellow markings; 
there is a curved transverse line near the base, a broader, rather 
wavy line a little before the middle, another still broader and 
sharply angulated at about two-thirds, and a broken subterminal 
line. The hind-wings are rich brown, with three broad, wavy, 
orange-yellow transverse bands. The female is generally rather 
paler than the male with the orange-yellow markings broader, 
very faintly marked specimens occasionally occurring. 
The perfect insect appears in January and February. 
It frequents the tussock openings in the forest on the Table- 
land of Mount Arthur, at elevations of from 3,000 to 4,000 
feet. In these situations it appears to be fairly abundant, 
flying actively in the hottest sunshine. 
Sub-family 2.—STERRHIDES. 
Fore-wings: 10 rising out of 9, 11 anastomising or con- 
nected with 9. Hind-wings: 5 fully developed, rising from middle 
of transverse vein, parallel to 4, 8 very shortly anastomosing 
with upper margin of cell near base, thence rapidly diverging. 
(Plate C., figs. 49, 50; neuration of Leptomeris rubraria.) 
A very considerable family, well represented in all 
regions except New Zealand, where the single species is 
an immigrant from Australia. 
Genus 1—LEPTOMERIS, Hiibn. 
Antennae in ¢ fasciculate-ciliated. Posterior tibiae in 4 
dilated, without spurs, in 9 with all spurs present. 
A large genus of almost universal distribution. 
LEPTOMERIS RUBRARIA. 
(Plychopoda (?) rubraria, Dbld., Dieff. N.Z. ii., 286; Fidonia (?) 
acidaliaria, Walk., Cat. xxiv., 1037; repletaria, ib. Cat., 
Xxili., 778; attributa, ib. 779; Acidalia figlinaria, Gn. Lep. 
ix., 454, pl. xii., 8; Acidalia rubraria, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. 
Inst. xvi., 57 Meyr., Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. 1887, 852.) 
(Plate XV., fig. 8 ¢; Frontispiece, fig. 23 egg; Plate II., fig. 23 
larva.) 
Except in the extreme south this pretty little insect 
is very common, and generally distributed throughout the 
country. It is also found in the Chatham Islands, 
132 ; X.—THE GEOMETRIDAE. 
“ 
The expansion of the wings is about ~ inch. The fore-wings 
are reddish-ochreous with three oblique, wavy, dull brown trans- 
verse lines, the first at about one-fourth, the second slightly 
‘broader at about one-half, the third much broader, and some- 
times partially divided near the costa; there is a black discal 
dot, a subterminal series of rather large dull brown spots, and a 
terminal series of minute black dots. The hind-wings are pinkish- 
ochreous; there is a dull brown wavy transverse band near the 
base, two close together a little beyond one-half, a series of sub- 
terminal spots, and a very distinct series of minute black ter- 
minal dots. The cilia of all the wings are dull brown, mixed 
with reddish-ochreous. 
There is often considerable variation in the intensity 
of the colouring of this insect, some specimens being much 
darker than others, but the markings are very constant, 
and the species is thus always easily recognisable. 
~The egg, which is about one-fortieth of an inch in 
length, is pale ochreous, elongate, with one end very slightly 
pointed the other truncate; it is traversed by numerous 
longitudinal ridges and impressed with minute hexagonal 
depressions. 
The larva when first excluded from the egg is about 
4 inch in length; extremely attenuated, dull green, with 
a broad white lateral stripe and the head and anterior 
segments brownish. 
The full-grown larva is about 3 inch in length, very 
slender, eylindrical, and of almost uniform thickness; 
segments 2, 3 and 4 are very short, also segments 10, 11, 
12 and 13, the other segments being very long. Its 
general colour is dull ochreous, with a broad dark brown 
lateral line, and a much finer and more obscure dorsal 
line; the whole surface of the larva is very finely and 
regularly wrinkled; the spiracles are black and very con- 
spicuous; in some specimens the under parts are more or 
less clouded with brownish-grey, and the whole larva con- 
siderably darker. 
The foodplant is Plantago and other low plants. This 
larva feeds during the late autumn and early winter. It 
is very sluggish, but when disturbed curls itself into an 
irregular coil with extraordinary rapidity. 
The pupa is concealed amongst refuse on the surface 
of the ground. 
The perfect insect appears from January till April. 
In the late summer and autumn it frequents dried-up, 
weedy pastures, where it is often extremely abundant. 
Strageling specimens may also be taken in the early spring. 
According to Mr. Meyrick, this species occurs very 
commonly in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, 
Australian and New Zealand specimens being identical in 
appearance. It is also found in the Kermadec Islands. 
Sub-family 3.—MoNocTENIADES. 
Hind-wings: 5 fully developed, parallel to 4, 8 approximated 
to upper margin of cell to middle or beyond, sometimes with 
connection near base. 
(Plate C., figs. 44-48 and 54 and 55.) 
A family of moderate extent and early type, better 
represented in Australia than elsewhere. The first four 


