a 
136 X.—THE GHOMETRIDAE. 
and South Islands. It is probably generally distributed 
throughout the country. 
The expansion of the wings is from 12% to 13 inches. The 
fore-wings have a strong angle, almost a tooth, in the middle of 
the termen and the hind-wings have the termen strongly dentate. 
All the wings are dull yellowish-brown or reddish-brown of very 
variable depth, sometimes irregularly clouded with darker 
brown; there are often large speckled yellow or blackish-grey 
patches on each wing below apex and on dorsum near middle. 
Other specimens have one or two small white spots on fore- 
wings below apex and on hind-wings beyond middle, whilst 
others are almost unicolorous. Most of the varieties closely 
resemble the varied hues of fading leaves. In many the greyish 
speckled marks imitate the irregular patches of mould which 
are often present on dead leaves. 
The egg, which is deposited on its side is oval, much 
flattened above with the surface very slightly roughened. 
When first laid it is pale opal-green in colour, but becomes 
dull olive-green as the embryo develops. 
The young larva is very pale green with the head 
brownish-yellow. At this early stage its colouring already 
completely harmonises with that of the underside of the 
leaves of its foodplants, Pittosporum eugenoides and P. 
tenuifoum. The full-grown larva is very robust, and 
about 1 inch in length. Its colour is pale green with 
numerous yellow dots and a series of diagonal yellow 
stripes on each segment; there is, in addition, a series of 
broad crimson blotches on the back and a small crimson 
flap projecting from the end of the terminal segment; the 
prolegs and spiracles are also crimson. Varieties of the 
larva sometimes occur which are more or less suffused with 
purple (fig. 18). The remarkable shape and colouring of 
this caterpillar, combined with the peculiar attitude 
assumed when at rest, affords it complete protection, caus- 
ing it to resemble, in the closest possible manner one of the 
buds of its foodplant.. These larvae are found during the 
whole of the spring and summer. They grow slowly, and 
occupy three or four months in attaining full size. They 
are very sluggish in their habits. 
The pupa is greenish-brown in colour. It is enclosed 
in a cocoon constructed of two or three leaves of the food- 
plant, fastened together with silk. The insect remains in 
this condition for three weeks or a month. 
The moth first appears about October, and is met with 
until the middle of April, occasional stragglers being found 
during the winter months. It frequents the edges of forest, 
or scrub, where its foodplants are often abundant. 
EPIRRHANTHIS ALECTORARIA, 
(Lyrcea alectoraria, Walk., Cat. xx., 259; Meyr., Trans. N.Z. 
Inst. xvi. 95 (part); Huds. N.Z. Moths, pl. viii., 44-47; 
octomaculata, Th. Mieg, Miscel. Ent. xxii., 63.) 
(Plate XVI., fig. 5 @, 6-8 9 varieties.) 
This is another very beautiful and extremely variable 
species, found in both North and South Islands, and long 
regarded as identical with FE. wstaria. It can, however, be 
distinguished by the following characters -— 
The wings are longer with the margins irregular; the pre- 
vailing colour is usually ochreous-yellow or bright yellow, often 
speckled or mottled with grey. Some forms have large ringed 
spots situated on each wing below apex and on the dorsum near 
middle; others have plain blotches similarly situated, whilst 
others are almost unicolorous. There is a certain amount of 
resemblance between some of the varieties of this species and 
those of HZ. wstaria, but the peculiar wing-outline of each species, 
which is only subject to very slight variation, enables a long 
series of specimens to be readily separated into the two species. 
The larger and more striking forms seem to usually frequent 
forest-clad hills of considerable elevation. I am much indebted 
to Mr. Morris N. Watt for the opportunity of figuring the 
beautiful variety depicted on Plate XVI., fig. 8. The specimen 
was captured by him in the forest on the lower slopes of Mount 
Egmont, and similar forms occur on the lower slopes of Mount 
Ruapehu. Another very beautiful variety, in Mr. Clarke’s collec- 
tion, is figured on Plate XLVIIL., fig. 33. 
The egg closely resembles that of J. ustaria, but 
becomes marked with deep brown before hatching. 
The young larva is about 4 inch in length, cylindrical, 
rather stout, of uniform thickness, with the- skin trans- 
versely wrinkled; deep orange-yellow with a very broad 
reddish-brown dorsal stripe; head clear deep yellow, also 
anal prolegs which are very large. The young larva is 
fairly active, and does not eat the egg-shell on emergence. 
The foodplant is Nothopanax arboreum. The. full-grown 
larva is about 14 inches in length, eylindrical, rather stout, 
slightly thicker posteriorly, with the segmental divisions 
margined in yellow; the antennae are tipped with crimson; 
general colour uniform bright green, sometimes bluish- 
tinged; there are numerous fine transverse wrinkles; a 
broad bright yellow, or white, dorsal line; the spiracles are 
brown; the lateral and ventral regions are often very finely 
speckled with whitish; the prolegs are moderate in size 
and the anal flap acutely pomted. This larva is of slug- 
gish habit, resting on the leaves of its foodplant and eating 
out large ‘‘bays’’ from their edges. Whilst thus engaged 
it is very inconspicuous. 
The pupa is enclosed in a frail cocoon, composed of 
silk and refuse, on the surface of the ground. It is about 
4 inch long, dull brown, with wing-, head- and leg-cases 
ereenish, 
The perfect insect appears from November till March. 
It is a rarer and less generally distributed species than L. 
ustaria and seems to be more restricted to the North Island. 
We are indebted to Mr. Prout for pointing out the 
distinctions between FE pirrhanthis ustaria and E. alector- 
aria.* 
Sub-family 4.—SELIDOSPMIDES. 
Hind-wings with vein 5 imperfect (not tubular) or obsolete, 
6 and 7 usually separate, 8 usually obsoletely connected with 
upper margin of cell near base, approximated to near middle. 
(Plate C., fig. 51 to 58 and 56 to 64.) 
A very large sub-family, in all regions but quite inade- 
quately represented in New Zealand. It varies consider- 

*Proc. N.Z. Inst. xliv.,. 53. 

