X.—THE GEOMETRIDAE. 135 
and Mount Arthur, near Nelson, at Otira, and on the lower 
slopes of Mount Earnslaw, at the head of Lake Wakatipu, 
in the South Island. 
The expansion of the wings is about ¢ inch. The fore-wings 
are dull black, finely speckled with white; there is a distinct 
discal dot; three very jagged black transverse lines, one at the 
base, one at 4 and one at 3, followed by a broad broken sub- 
terminal shading and a terminal series of elongate black dots. 
The hind-wings are greyish-black, sometimes strongly tinged 
with orange-yellow in the female, with one or two dusky bands. 
A variety of this insect, rather smaller than usual, 
occurs on the Dun Mountain track. In this form the 
markings are duller and less distinct than in the type, but 
its specific separation is not warranted. 
The perfect insect appears in January and February. 
It is found in dry, stony places, usually in openings in 
beech forests, at elevations of from 1,500 to 3,000 fect 
above the sea-level. It flies rapidly in hot sunshine. 
DICHROMODES GYPSOTIS. 
(Dichromodes’ gypsotis, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. xx., 60; Cacop- 
sodos niger, ib. xvi., 94.) 
(Plate XV., fig. 15 @.) 
This very distinet species has oecurred at Poolburn, 
Central Otago, and at Lake Wakatipu. 
5 
The expansion of the wings is barely 2 inch. The fore-wings 
are pale greyish-cream colour, with black markings. The basal 
line is broad and very dark; the first line is wavy, of uneven 
width, with a conspicuous triangular projection below the 
middle; the second line irregular, with a strong projection in 
the middle; there is a very broad cloudy subterminal band, 
darkest on the costa, and an indistinct pale subterminal line 
beyond this. The hind-wings and cilia are blackish. 
The larva, which feeds on lichens, evidently closely 
resembles that of Dichromodes ida.* 
The perfect msect appears in December and January, 
but is very rarely met with. 
Deseribed and figured from a specimen in the 
Dominion Museum. 
Genus 5.—EPIRRHANTHIS, Hiibn. 
Face with tolerably appressed scales. Palpi rather short. 
Antennaein ¢@ slightly ciliated. Fore-wings: 10 anastomosing with 
9, 11 anastomosing with 12 and then with 10. Hind-wings: 6 and 
7 approximated, 8 approximated to cell to about middle, with 
rudimentary or incomplete connection near base. 
(Plate C., figs. 46, 47 neuration of Hpirrhanthis alectoraria; 
fig. 48 head of ditto.) 
The typical species is European. The South American 
genus Phellinodes is allied to this. 
Represented in New Zealand by three species. 
EPIRRHANTHIS HEMIPTERARIA. 
(Hemerophila hemipteraria, Guen., Lep. ix., 220, pl. vi., 2; 
Xyridacma henripteraria, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. xx., 60.) 
(Plate XV., fig. 26 @, 27 9, 28 @ variety.) 
This remarkable-looking species seems to be generally 
distributed throughout the country. 

“Trans, N.Z. Inst. xlix., 211. 
The expansion of the wings is from 12 to 12% inches. All 
the wings are pale ochreous-brown, with a variable number of 
minute black dots; there are four or five oblique, wavy brown 
transverse lines on both fore- and hind-wings, the central and 
terminal lines being often slightly darker than the others; there 
is always a black dot in the middle of the fore-wing, and a 
shaded spot near the termen below the apex. The apex of the 
hind-wing is very pointed and projects downwards; the almost 
straight termen has a series of prominent projections. 
This species varies in the intensity of the markings, 
and in the number of the black dots, but is always easily 
recognisable by the peculiar outline of its hind-wings and 
absence of pectinations in the antennae of the male. The 
beautiful variety shown on Plate XV., fig. 28 was captured 
by Mr. Morris N. Watt on Mount Egmont. 
The egg is oval, considerably flattened, pale bluish- 
green covered with numerous very minute depressions. 
The larva feeds on veronicas from September till May, 
and it is probable that there are at least two broods in a 
season. : 
Its length when full grown is about 1 inch. Some 
larvae are green, with a broad bluish dorsal line, and two 
fine yellow lateral lines. Others are brown, with a dull 
yellow dorsal line. 
During the daytime these caterpillars firmly clasp the 
stem of their foodplant’ with their prolegs, and hold the 
rest of their body rigidly out from the branch. In this 
position they are very inconspicuous, and may readily be 
mistaken for young Icaves or twigs. At night they become 
much more active, and may then be seen walking about and 
feeding. 
The pupa is rather robust, with a sharp spine at its 
extremity. Its colour is pale olive-brown, with the wing- 
cases and sides of the abdomen pinkish. It is not enclosed 
in any cocoon, but is merely concealed amongst the dead 
leaves and rubbish around the stem of the veronica. 
The perfect insect appears from November till March. 
It is often found in gardens and other cultivated places, 
probably on account of the number of veronicas that fre- 
quently grow in such situations. It is attracted by blossoms 
and by light, but is not a very common species. The 
colouring and wing-outline of this moth cause it to very 
closely resemble a dead leaf, especially when resting 
amongst foliage or on the ground. This insect may be 
occasionally noticed abroad on mild evenings in the middle 
of winter, and it thus appears probable that some indivi- 
duals hybernate in the imago state, whilst others pass the 
winter as pupae. 
EPIRRHANTHIS USTARIA. 
(Ennomos ustaria, Walk., Cat. xxvi., 1519; Amilapis (?) acroi- 
aria, Feld. Reis. Nov. pl. exxiii., 6; Lyrcea varians, Butl., 
Cist. Ent. ii, 496; Epirranthis alectoraria, Huds., N.Z. 
Moths, pl. viii., 42, 43; hwdsoni, Prout, Seitz, Macrolep., 
xii., 34; wnilinea, ib.) 
(Plate XVI., fig. 3 4, 49; Frontispiece fig. 16 egg; Plate II., 
figs. 9-11 ordinary larvae, fig. 18 variety.) 
This beautiful and very variable species has occurred 
in tolerable abundance at many localities in both North 
a 

