
- 
146 
to the collector as its certain identification is often a matter 
of considerable difficulty, especially during the earlier 
stages of its life. When at rest the first and second pairs 
of legs are closely appressed to the body forwards, and the 
third pair held straight downwards in which position they 
resemble a short twig or broken thorn; the body of the 
larva as is usual in Geometers, closely simulates a branch 
of the foodplant, but the position assumed by the legs 
when at rest, is I think peculiar to the larva of the present 
insect. 
The pupa is enclosed in a slight cocoon situated about 
two inches below the surface of the ground. ‘Most of the 
larvae which become full grown late in the autumn remain 
as pupae during the winter, but the summer broods only 
remain in the pupa state a few weeks. 
The perfect insect appears from November fill May, 
and is sometimes met with in the middle of winter, hyber- 
nated specimens occurring in the early spring. This insect 
has a great partiality for resting with outspread wings on 
the walls of sheds and outhouses, where it is frequently 
noticed by the most casual observer. It is very common 
in most situations, and may be taken in large numbers at 
sugar, light, or blossoms, during the whole of the summer. 
Its extreme abundance and great variability, in both the 
larval and imago states, would render it a good subject 
for a series of experiments on heredity. 
Genus 2—SESTRA, Walk. 
Face smooth. Antennae in ¢ minutely ciliated. Palpi 
short, rough-scaled. Thorax hairy beneath. Femora glabrous. 
Fore-wings: 10 out of 9, sometimes anastomosing shortly with 
9, 11 anastomosing with 10, 12 sometimes anastomosing shortly 
with 11. 
(Plate C., fig. 53 neuration of fore-wing of Sestra flexata.) 
An endemie genus, probably allied to Selidosema. 
We have two species. 
SESTRA FLEXATA. 
(Cidaria flexata, Walk., Cat. xxv., 1421; Sestra humeraria, Huds., 
N.Z. Moths, 89, pl. x., 1,:2 (nec. Walk.)z Sestra fusi- 
plagiata, ib. xxvi., 1751; Amastris encausta, Meyr., Trans. 
N.Z. Inst. xvi., 105; Sestra humeraria, ib. xviii., 184.) 
(Plate XVIL., fig. 30 4, 31 9 pale varieties; 32 9 typical form, 
33 ditto dark variety; Frontispiece, fig. 20 egg; Plate II., fig. 8 
larva.) 
This pretty species is very common, and generally 
distributed throughout both the North and the South 
Islands; it also occurs plentifully at Stewart Island, and 
is found on the Chatham Islands. 
The expansion of the wings is from 14 to 1% inches. The 
fore-wings are pale plum-colour; there is an indistinct, curved, 
brownish transverse line near the base; a straight dark brown 
line across the middle, and a curved series of brownish dots 
beyond the middle; the apex is pointed, and the termen has a 
strong projection a little above the middle. The hind-wings are 
ochreous, with a series of minute brownish dots across the 
middle, 

X.—THE GEOMETRIDAE. 
This is a variable species. The fore-wings are often 
much clouded with rich brown, or rarely blackish-brown, 
and in some specimens scarcely a trace of the original 
purplish colour remains; the central straight transverse 
line is sometimes absent, and the other lines are frequently 
obsolete, except on the costa; the dots on the hind-wings 
are also often absent, and occasionally specimens are met 
with in which the fore-wings are very pale brownish- 
ochreous and the hind-wings almost white. Intermediate 
forms between these varieties also occur. 
The egg, which is laid on its side, is cylindrical, con- 
siderably larger at the micropylar end, pale ochreous 
yellow, covered with numerous rows of small hexagonal 
depressions. 
The larva, which feeds on ferns (Histiopteris incisa and 
Pteris macilenta) during the summer and autumn, is about 1} 
inches in length when full-grown, very attenuated towards the 
head, and much thickened posteriorly, with a large hump on the 
back of segment 12; the head is small, brown, with two pale 
stripes; the body dull ochreous, faintly tinged with green; there 
is a very broad dull brown dorsal line, more or less distinctly 
edged with blackish; a broad pale sub-dorsal line, streaked with 
brown near the middle, and a broad indistinct lateral line, irregu- 
larly edged with blackish below; segments 9 to 12 inclusive have 
two rows of more or less distinct pale coloured warts each of 
which emits a short black bristle; the underside of the larva is 
pale yellowish, speckled with brown, and segments 6 to 10 
inclusive have two central black marks. 
This caterpillar is of sluggish, habit, clinging firmly 
to the fern frond, and when disturbed coils itself up and 
drops to the ground where it is very hard to find. 
The pupa is buried in the earth about two inches 
below the surface, and, in the case of autumnal larvae, 
the insect remains in this state during the winter months. 
The perfect insect’ first appears about September, and 
continues abundant until the end of March or beginning 
of April. It frequents forest or serub, and is noticed most 
commonly in the neighbourhood of its foodplants. There 
are probably several broods in the course of a year. 
SESTRA HUMERARIA. 
(Macaria humeraria, Walk., Cat. xxili., 940; Sestra flexata, Huds., 
N.Z. Moths, 90, pl. ix., 37, nec. Walk.; Cidaria obtusaria, 
Walk., Cat. xxiii., 985; C. obtruncata, ib., xxv., 1421.) 
(Plate XVIL., fig. 28 4, 29 9.) 
This species has occurred at Kaeo, North of Auckland, 
at, Auckland, and in the neighbourhood of Wellington. 
It is probably generally distributed throughout the North 
Island. In the South Island it has been found at Otira, 
Kinloch, Lake Wakatipu and Invercargill. 
The expansion of the wings is about 14 inches. The fore- 
wings, which have the ‘apex pointed but no projection on the 
termen, are bright orange-red; there is a very faint transverse 
line near the base, darker on the costa; a dark bar on the 
costa near the middle; and a faint transverse line beyond the 
middle, also darker on the costa. The hind-wings are bright 
ochreous-yellow, with the cilia orange. 
This species varies considerably in the intensity of its 
colouring. 
