
XI—THE PYRALIDAE. 
CRAMBUS SARISTES. 
(Crambus saristes, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. xli., 8.) 
(Plate XLV., fig. 18 9.) 
At present this species has only oceurred at Seaward 
Moss, near Invereargill. 
The expansion of the wing is % inch. It differs from C. 
heteranthes in the following respects:—The general colouring is 
slightly brighter; the central streak of the fore-wings is tinged 
with dull yellow, suddenly narrower on its terminal fourth, the 
end of the preceding portion forming a faint short acute projec- 
tion below it; the dorsum, on the under-side of the fore-wings, 
and the costa on the underside of the hind-wings, are not clouded 
with white. 
The perfect insect appears from November till Janu- 
ary. It is possible that when a larger number of specimens 
are available for examination, this species will prove to be 
merely a local variety of Crambus heteranthes. 
CRAMBUS AULISTES. 
(Crambus aulistes, Meyr., Trans, N.Z. Inst., xli., 9.) 
This species has occurred at Invercargill. 
It is stated to be distinguished from the closely allied 
forms known as C. meristes, saristes, aethonellus, and meli- 
tastes by the suffused white line on posterior half of costa 
only. 
I am unacquainted with this insect. 
CRAMBUS MERISTES. 
(Crambus meristes, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., li., 351.) 
This species was discovered by Mr. Philpott on Long- 
wood Range, Southland, at an altitude of about 2,700 feet 
above the sea-level. 
The expansion of the wings is about 3? inch. Head, palpi, 
and thorax dark brown, palpi whitish towards base beneath. 
Abdomen dark grey. Fore-wings elongate, posteriorly dilated, 
costa slightly ‘arched, apex obtuse-pointed, termen slightly 
rounded, somewhat oblique; dark brown; a moderate ochreous- 
white median longitudinal streak from base to termen, slightly 
narrowed towards extremities; cilia grey. Hind-wings dark 
grey: cilia grey or whitish-grey, or in female whitish, with grey 
subbasal line. 
The perfect insect appears in December. 
I am unacquainted with this species, which appears to 
be distinguished from the very closely allied forms, by the 
absence of any white streak on the costa. 
CRAMBUS AETHONELLUS. 
(Crambus aethonellus, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xv., 19; xli., 9.) 
This species has occurred at Mount Hutt, Flagstaff 
Hill, Wedderburn, Longwood Range, and the Takitimu 
Mountains. 
The expansion of the wings is about 3 inch. The insect is 
extremely like Crambus melitastes from which it is said to differ 
in} the following respects:—The costal edge of the fore-wings is 
ochreous-whitish throughout, there is no white streak on the 
upper part of the termen or in the cilia; the hind-wings are 
without the pale yellowish costal patch, but with the cilia clear 
pale yellowish, except the basal line; the under surface of the 
fore-wings is suffused with grey, except towards the costa and on 
a median streak; the underside of the hind-wings is partly grey- 
ish between the veins. The antennae of the male are pubescent- 
ciliated—that is clothed with short pubescence over their whole 
surface, but with a row of somewhat longer cilia on one side; in 
C. melitastes the antennae are devoid of pubescence but simply 
ciliated on one side (Meyrick).* 
The perfect insect appears in December and January. 
CRAMBUS' MELITASTHS. 
(Crambus melitastes, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xli., 9:) 
(Plate XIX., fig. 8 4; 9 9.) 
This bright little species is common in the neighbour- 
hood of Invercargill. 
The expansion of the wings of the male is slightly over 3 
inch; of the female barely ~ inch. The fore-wings of the male 
are rather bright ochreous-brown, there is a very distinct, cen- 
tral, longitudinal whitish streak somewhat broader near the 
middle and a very narrow indistinct white mark on the termen 
above the central streak; the cilia are pale brown with a white 
basal line above the central streak. The hind-wings are dark 
brown with a broad whitish-ochreous streak from. the base to 
about #; the cilia are brownish-ochreous. In the female the 
ground colour of the fore-wings is darker; there is a narrow 
white streak close to the costa, and a broader white streak close 
to the dorsum, both in addition to the central streak. Occasion- 
ally the fore-wings are wholly whitish-grey. 
The perfect insect appears in December and January. 
It is common in dry, open situations, and is extremely 
plentiful on the coastal sandhills. The female does not 
take wing so readily as the male, and has a more feeble 
flight; that of the male being rapid and often sustained for 
some time. (Philpott.) It seems to be quite confined to 
the far south. 
If this species proves to be identical with that form 
now known as Crambus aethonellus, it will have to bear the 
name of C. aethonellus, which has priority. 
CRAMBUS APSELIAS. 
(Crambus apselias, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xxxix., 108.) 
(Plate XX, fig. 13 @.) 
This species has occurred at Springfield, Castle Hill, 
Cora Lynn, Dunedin, Lake Wakatipu and Invercargill. 
The expansion of the wings is about 1$ inches. The fore 
wings are pale brassy ochreous and very glossy; there is a rather 
indistinct white, central, longitudinal streak, bordered above and 
below with rather indefinite brownish-ochreous bands; the spaces 
between the veins are more or less clearly marked in white, 
and the veins themselves in brownish-ochreous. The hind-wings 
are very pale whitish-ochreous, faintly clouded with brown to- 
wards the apex; the cilia of all the wings are whitish-ochreous. 
This species is very closely allied to Crambus ramo- 
sellus, but is always easily separated by the obsolescence 
or absence of the black terminal dots. 
The perfect insect appears from December till April. 
It frequents the outskirts of forest and open country, and 
is attracted by light. 

*Trans. N.Z.. inst, =li.,.9. 

