BS 
XI—THE PYRALIDAE. 175 
metallic mark above it; between this and the termen are three 
horizontal leaden metallic streaks; the termen is finely edged 
with black, and there are three small black spots just before 
the tornus; the cilia are golden, barred with brown. The hind- 
wings are very pale yellow, the termen finely edged with very 
pale yellowish-brown. 
This species varies slightly in the depth and extent 
of the diagonal shaded band, and apart from its smaller 
size, it is always readily separated from D. metallifera by 
this character‘and by the small round white discal spot. 
The perfect insect appears from the middle of No- 
vember until the middle of January, and frequents dense 
forest, but is not a common insect. 
DIPTYCHOPHORA AURISCRIPTELLA. 
(Eromene auriscriptella, Walk., Brit. Mus. Cat., xxx., 976; 
Diptychophora auriscriptella, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xv., 
16.) 
(Plate XIX., fig. 37 9.) 
This beautiful little insect is common and generally 
distributed throughout the country. It also occurs on 
Stewart Island. 
The expansion of the wings of the male is slightly over 4 
inch; of the female 8 inch. The fore-wings are pale golden yel- 
low, with leaden metallic markings; there is a conspicuous trans- 
verse line at about 4, strongly curved towards the termen in the 
middle; an elongate spot above the middle of the wing, leaden 
metallic towards the costa and white towards the dorsum; a 
doubly curved transverse line beyond # and two long horizontal 
stripes between the central spot and the termen; the termen is 
finely edged with bronzy brown; there are three minute black 
spots just before the tornus. The hind-wings and abdomen are 
pale grey. The female is slightly darker in general colouring 
than the male, but the markings are identical in both sexes. 
The transverse lines may sometimes vary in width, as 
I have a single specimen in which they are very much 
broader than usual; there is no variation otherwise. 
The larva feeds in moss during the winter and early 
spring. ' 
The perfect insect appears in November, December 
and January. It frequents the edges of forest, and is 
often found amongst tree-ferns, or in leght brushwood, 
and is usually commonest in very damp, sunny situations. 
The freshly-emerged specimens of this species have a most 
refulgent appearance. 
DIPTYCHOPHORA HOLANTHES. 
(Diptychophora holanthes, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xvii., 131.) 
(Plate XIX., fig. 36 9.) 
This bright-looking yellow species has occurred at Wai- 
nuiomata and the Otira Gorge. 
The expansion of the wings is about # inch. The fore-wings 
are bright yellow; there are two fine, wavy, brown transverse 
lines at 4 and 3; two brownish-black dots forming a discal spot 
and three small black dots on the termen above the tornus. The 
hind-wings are grey. 
Sometimes the brown transverse lines are almost absent 
and the position of the second line indicated by a series of 
short, longitudinal metallic bars. Apart from the very dis- 
tinet character of the diseal spot, this insect might be mis- 
taken for a plain yellow variety of Diptychophora lepidella. 
The perfect insect appears in December and January, 
and frequents mossy places on the edge of forest or serub. 
It flies very rapidly in hot sunshine and is an elusive insect 
to catch. It is evidently a very local species, and appar- 
ently attached to places having an exceptionally heavy 
rainfall. 
DIPTYCHOPHORA HARMONICA. 
(Diptychophora harmonica, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xx., 71.) 
(Plate XIX., fig. 38 9.) 
This is one of the most obscurely coloured species of 
the genus. It has been taken on the Waitakere Ranges 
near Auckland, Mount Egmont, Waimarino, Palmerston 
North, Kaitoke and several other localities in the vicinity 
of Wellington. In the South Island it has occurred at 
Invereargill and Orepuki. 
The expansion of the wings is from 4 to 8 inch. The fore- 
wings are pale brownish-grey; there are two, double wavy! trans- 
verse lines; a small round white spot slightly above the middle 
of the wing with an ill-defined marking above it; there is often 
a shading of darker grey towards the termen, a faint silvery 
line on the termen, an obscure pale mark at. the apex, and three 
minute black dots before the tornus. The hind-wings are pale 
grey. 
This species varies considerably in size and in the 
intensity of both the ground colour and the markings. Some 
of the small dark varieties somewhat approach D. eptphaca 
in appearance. 
The perfect insect appears in November, December and 
January, and frequents forest. 
DIPTYCHOPHORA BIPUNCTELLA. 
(Zromene bipunctella, Walk., Cat., xxxv., 1761.) 
(Plate LII., fig. 30.) 
This species is represented by a specimen in the 
3ritish Museum. 
Size of Diptychophora auriscriptella. Fore-wings brown, 
very neatly marked, markings much as in D. auriscriptella, dis- 
cal spot small, round, white: cilia white except near apex. Hind- 
wings grey. 
Immediately distinguished by the uniform brown fore-wings, 
small round white discal spot, and grey hind-wings; intermediate 
between D. holanthes and D. epiphaea. Locality given as New 
Zealand without further indication. 
IT am unacquainted with this species. The above par- 
ticulars have been supplied by Mr. Meyrick. 
A specimen of what is believed to be this species, has 
recently been captured by Mr. E. 8. Gourlay at the Upper 
Maitai, Nelson, and is figured on Plate LILI., fig. 30. 
DIPTYCHOPHORA HELIOCTYPA. 
(Diptychophora helioctypa,; Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xv., 17.) 
(Plate XIX., fig. 39 9.) 
This seems to be a very common species in the extreme 
South. It occurs abundantly throughout the Lake Waka- 
tipu District and in the neighbourhood of Invercargill. 

