XI_THE PYRALIDAE. 
The expansion of the wings is from 3, to § inch. The fore- 
wings are rather narrow, pale brownish-ochreous; there is a very 
jagged transverse line at about + and another wavy line at about 
2, the space between these two lines being almost filled up with 
warm. brown; there is also a brown patch at the base, a brown 
shading on the termen and a crescentic white dot near the mid- 
dle of the wing; there are no metallic markings and scarcely any 
indentations on the termen. The hind-wings are dark brown. 
This species varies considerably in the extent of the 
warm brown colouring, which oceasionally extends over the 
entire surface of the fore-wings. 
The perfect insect appears in January, and frequents 
damp grassy open situations, flying actively in the hottest 
sunshine. I met with it, in extreme abundance, on the 
erassy flats in the Routeburn Valley, beyond the head of 
Lake Wakatipu. 
DIPTYCHOPHORA EPIPHAPA. 
(Diptychophora ecpiphaeda, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xvii., 132.) 
(Plate XIX., fig. 40 @.) 
This is a. mountain species. It has been taken at Mount 
Kegmont, Waimarino, Mount Ruapehu, Mount Arthur, 
Castle Hill, Arthur’s Pass and on the mountains at the 
head of Lake Wakatipu at elevations ranging from 3,000 
to 4,000 feet above the sea-level. It has also been found on 
Longwood Range and the Hunter Mountains. 
The expansion of the wings is barely § inch. The fore- 
wings are very rich brown, with greenish reflections; the mark- 
ings are obscure consisting of two slender jagged transverse 
lines, and a very ill-defined elongate mark above the middle of 
the wing; the cilia are white, very narrowly blackish close to 
the termen. The hind-wings are very dark greyish-black; the 
cilia are dark. grey. 
The perfect insect appears in December and January. 
It frequents very damp spots on mountains, usually near, 
or slightly above, the upper limit of forest, and, in such 
situations is sometimes fairly common. 
DIPTYCHOPHORA ELAINA. 
(Diptychophora elaina, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xv., 17.) 
(Plate XIX., fig. 31 9.) 
Except in the extreme South this small and very dis- 
tinet species is common and generally distributed through- 
out the country. 
The expansion of the wings is slightly over 4 inch. The 
fore-wings are pale grey slightly ochreous-tinged and finely spec- 
kled with blackish, especially near the base and termen, the 
space between the two transverse lines being usually paler; 
there is an elongate black spot slightly above the middle of the 
wing. The hind-wings are pale grey. 
The colouring of this insect is essentially protective, 
imitating grey lichen-covered rocks or tree trunks. This 
form of colouring exists in quite a number of species which 
frequent similar situations such as Xanthorhoe cinerearia, 
Argyria strophaea, Scoparia philerga, S. meliturga, Izatha 
convulsella, etc. The independent acquisition of this type of 
colouring, by species which are not otherwise allied, is a 
very interesting instance of parallel development under 
similar external conditions. 
The life history of this insect was thus described by 
Fereday: 
‘‘ The full-grown larva about # inch in length, slender, 
rather flattened, wrinkled, of nearly uniform width, much 
contracted at the segmental divisions; the ground-colour 
varying from pale stone to ash-colour; down the middle of 
the back, on the fifth to the ninth segment inclusive, a ser- 
ies of dark purplish-brown or maroon marks, wedge-shaped, 
with the point of each wedge cleft, and somewhat resem- 
bling a W with the internal space filled up, and having 
the base of the wedge abutting on the anterior and the 
cleft end on the posterior extremity of the segment; a 
eream-coloured tubercular dot at the point of the cleft, and 
on the base of each dark mark a pair of similar but rather 
smaller dots; head dark, with a pale longitudinal stripe. 
‘‘ Heeds on moss on damp walls; when at rest hes 
stretched out flat on the moss, and entirely exposed; forms 
in the moss a cocoon eovered with dust and moss, hardly 
distinguishable. ’’* 
The perfect insect appears from October till April, 
and frequents rocky or gravelly situations. It is nearly 
always found resting on the steep bank of soil, formed by 
the upturned roots of trees when blown down, and is usu- 
ally very abundant on the sides of road or railway cuttings, 
especially if the cutting passes through light bush or serub. 
It is attracted by light and frequently enters houses, and 
is often seen resting on window panes in the day-time. 
There are probably at least two: broods in a season. 
DIPTYCHOPHORA PARORMA. 
(Diptychophora parorma, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., lv., 202.) 
This species has oceurred at Waimarino and at 
Wainuiomata. 
It is extremely similar to Diptychophora elaina but 
may be immediately distinguished by the black terminal dots of 
which there is no trace in D. elaina. 
The perfect insect appears in December and January. 
It is found in similar situations to D. elaina. 
Genus 9.—GADIRA, Walk. 
Fore-wings with tufts of scales; 7 separate, 8 and 9 stalked. 
Hind-wings with 4 and 5 stalked, 6 widely remote from 7 at 
origin, 7 anastomosing with 8. (Plate D., fig. 19, 20 neuration of 
Gadira acerella; fig. 21 head of ditto.) 
Only includes the following species, apparently an 
early form. 
GADIRA ACERELLA. 
(Gadira acerella, Walk., Cat., xxxv., 1742; Botys mahanga, Feld., 
Reis. Noy., Pl. exxxvii., 27; Cryptomima acerella, Meyr., 
Trans. NeZeeInsthxXv., 52) 
(Plate XXII., fig. 29 9.) 
This very distinct species is generally distributed 
throughout the country. 

*Trans, N:Z. Inst.) xv. 68: 

