XI.—THE PYRALIDAE. 161 
try and are especially characteristic of the tussock plains 
of the South Island. Many species also occur on grassy 
mountain sides, their place being taken at elevations execed- 
ing about 5,000 feet above the sea-level by the members of 
the closely allied genus Orocrambus. On the elevated tus- 
sock plains in the centre of the North Island, several spe- 
cies of Crambus are very abundant, and Crambus ramo- 
sellus and C. flexuosellus are both very common on the 
edges of the forest, in many parts of the North Island. 
Generally speaking, however, it may be said that the genus 
is very much better represented, both as regards species 
and individuals, in the south, than in in the north, the 
Crambi in the extreme north being, in fact, rare and in- 
significant. These insects are very efficiently protected 
when hiding amongst grass. The elongate fore-wings are 
closely wrapped around the body, and completely envelope 
the fan-like hind-wings. The exposed portions of the fore- 
wings are generally striped with white, on an ochreous- 
brown ground colour, and when the insect is closely cling- 
ing to a blade of grass, in the midst of a tussock, its 
resemblance to its surroundings renders its discovery al- 
most impossible. The genus is represented in New Zea- 
land by forty-five species and others, no doubt, are still 
awaiting discovery. Of the known species, twenty-nine 
are restricted to the South Island; thirteen common to 
both islands; two restricted to the North Island, and one 
to the Chatham Islands. 
CRAMBUS CORRUPTUS. 
(Hypochalcia corrupta, But., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1877, 399, 
Pl. xliii., 9; Crambus corruptus, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., 
xv., 20; Crambus lridus, Huds., Ent. Mo. Mag. lix., 64.) 
(Blatersos Henle Ay) 
This species has occurred on the Lyttelton Hills, and 
at Mount Hutt. It is very abundant at Ida Valley in 
Central Otago, at about 2,500 feet above the sea-level. 
The expansion of the wings of the male is nearly $ inch; 
of the female slightly over § inch. The fore-wings, which have 
the apex rather acute, are pale brownish-ochreous; there is a 
very fine white streak along costa from base to near middle and 
another below this from middle to apex; a conspicuous central 
longitudinal white streak from base to middle of termen, attenu- 
ated at each end and indented below at about %; a suffused whit- 
ish band along dorsum; there is a small black mark near dorsum 
at base; two elongate black blotches in disc at about 4, one 
above and one below the central stripe; two shorter and broader 
blotches similarly placed beyond middle and a broad blackish 
terminal band interrupted by the central white stripe; the cilia 
are greyish-ochreous, clouded with white below apex. The hind- 
wings are greyish-ochreous with a broad dusky border; the cilia 
are pale greyish-ochreous. 
There is considerable variation in the extent and dis- 
tinctness of the black markings, and in the ground colour, 
which in some specimens is a deep lurid yellow (C. luri- 
dus) ; the fine white costal streaks are also sometimes very 
indistinet. The black discal blotches above and below the 
central streak are, however, always present and constitute 
a good distinctive character. 
The perfect insect appears in October and November. 
L 
CRAMBUS HELIOTES. 
(Crambus heliotes, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xx., 68.) 
(Plate-X1IX., fig. 6 ¢@, 5 9.) 
This brightly-coloured and very distinct little species 
has occurred in the North Island at Waimarino, Waiouru 
and Puketitiri (Hawkes Bay). In the South Island it has 
been found on the Mount Arthur Tableland, at an elevation 
of about 3,600 feet, and in the Rees Valley near Lake 
Wakatipu. 
The expansion of the wings is barely 2 inch. The fore- 
wings of the male are rich brown with a very obscure, paler, 
transverse band a little before the termen. The hind-wings are 
bright orangeryellow with the cilia dull brown. The head, thorax 
and abdomen are brown. The female is slightly larger and 
paler than the male. Some specimens of both sexes have two 
or three short, silvery-white, longitudinal streaks on the fore- 
wings, and the insect varies generally in the depth of its colour- 
ing. 
The perfect insect appears in January and February. 
It is found in damp, mossy situations and is extremely 
loeal, although abundant where found. It flies rapidly in 
the hottest sunshine. 
CRAMBUS ANTIMORUS. 
(Crambus antimorus, Meyr., Trans, Ent. Soc. Lond., 1901, 567.) 
(Plate XIX, fig. 23 ¢.) 
This pretty little species is fairly common on the old 
moraines near the Hermitage at Mount Cook, at elevations 
of from 2,500 to 3,000 feet above the sea-level. 
The expansion of the wings is nearly ? inch. The fore-wings 
are brownish-ochreous with bronzy golden reflections; the costa 
is narrowly edged with clear white; there is a rather broad, cen- 
tral, longitudinal, white streak from the base to the termen, 
becoming narrower just before it reaches the termen; the dor- 
sum is narrowly edged with white. The hind-wings are white, 
broadly shaded with brown on the termen. The cilia of all the 
wings are white. The ‘thead and thorax are bronzy-brown, the 
abdomen greyish-brown. 
The perfect insect appears in December. 
it is only known from the single locality given. 
At present 
CRAMBUS HETERANTHES. 
(Crambus heteranthes, Meyr., Trans. Ent. Soc. London, 1901, 
568.) 
(Plate XIX., fig. 7 4.) 
This neatly-marked little insect is common on the old 
moraines near the Mount Cook Hermitage. 
The expansion of the wings is slightly under # inch. The 
fore-wings are dark brown with strong bronzy reflections; there 
is a single, clear white, moderately broad, central, longitudinal, 
streak from the base to the termen, which rapidly becomes much 
narrower just before it reaches the termen. The hind-wings are 
uniform dark brown. The cilia of all the wings are grey tipped 
with paler grey. 
The perfect insect appears in December. 

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