XI—THE PYRALIDAE. 193 
used to be a perfect pest to the collector. When so resting 
its colouring is very protective, but it is a very timid insect, 
taking wing on the slightest provocation and flying with 
considerable rapidity. 
SCOPARIA CATAXESTA. 
(Scoparia cutaresta, Meyr., Trans, N.Z. Inst, xvii., 96.) 
(Plate XXI., fig. 19 4.) 
This species has occurred at Wanganui River, Mana- 
watu River, Mount Arthur, Otira Gorge, Castle Hill, Lake 
Guyon, and Lake Wakatipu, and is probably common in 
many restricted spots throughout the country. 
The expansion of the wings is a little over 1 inch. The fore- 
wings are rather elongate, dark slaty grey, often Strongly tinged 
with blue, especially in fresh specimens; there are only the 
faintest traces of the first and second lines and the reniform 
which are paler grey. The hind-wings are pale ochreous-grey, a 
little darker near the termen. 
The perfect insect appears from November till March 
and frequents bare shingle, or rocks, usually in the bed of 
a mountain stream, but sometimes on the higher slopes up 
to about 4,000 feet. When at rest it is extremely hard to 
see as its colouring so closely harmonises with its surround- 
ings. If disturbed it takes flight with great rapidity, fly- 
ing fast for a short distance, close to the ground, and 
quickly settling again. 
SCOPARIA ASALEUTA. 
(Scoparia asaleuta, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxxix., 111.) 
(Plate XXL, fig. 17 @.) 
This very pretty species has occurred at Lake Waka. 
tipu, Lake Manapouri, and occasionally at Invereargill. 
The expansion of the wings is $ inch. The fore-wings are 
pale blue, somewhat iridescent with blackish-blue markings; the 
basal patch is ill-defined rather broad; the first line almost 
straight, connected with the orbicular and claviform, both of 
which are moderately large and somewhat indefinite in shape; 
the reniform is 8-shaped; the second line is very fine wavy with 
a cloudy patch on the costa; the terminal area is more or less 
clouded with pale blue with an elongate blackish-blue patch near 
the tornus; a very cloudy, irregular sub-terminal line and a 
terminal series of blackish dots; the cilia are grey. The hind- 
wings are pale greyish-white with a darker grey shaded terminal 
band; the cilia are white. 
Slightly variable in the extent and intensity of the 
blackish-blue markings. 
The perfect msect appears in January. It frequents 
the shingle beach around the north-western shore of Lake 
Wakatipu. When resting with closed wings its colouring 
harmonises very perfectly with the stones, and this renders 
its detection a difficult matter. It is only on the wing for 
a very short period, and this, coupled with its very efficient 
- means of protection, probably accounts for the insect’s 
apparent rarity. 
N 
SCOPARIA TETRACYCLA. 
(Scoparia tetracycla, Meyr., Trans, N.Z. Inst., xvii., 97.) 
(Plate XXI., fig. 21 9.) 
This species has been taken at the Anatore River near 
Nelson, at Christchurch and at Lake Coleridge. 
The expansion of the wings is slightly under 1 inch. The 
head, thorax and fore-wings are dull ochreouws-grey, densely 
speckled with black and white scales; the first line is white, 
rather wavy, slightly outwards-curved towards the dorsum; the 
orbicular and claviform are dull white, margined with black; 
the reniform is 8-shaped, white, obscurely margined with black, 
with a whitish patch on the costa above it; the second line is 
curved outwards below the costa and inwards above the dorsum, 
white, rather broad and irregularly margined with black; the 
sub-terminal line is rather obscure, white, touching the second 
line above the middle; there is a fine interrupted terminal white 
line; the cilia are dull white, barred with dark grey. The hind- 
wings and abdomen are dull greyish-ochreous; the termen is 
clouded with darker grey, the cilia are dull white with a greyish 
line. 
The perfect insect appears in February and March but 
is by no means a common species. It seems to frequent 
open stony, or sandy situations. 
SCOPARIA GYROTOMA. 
(Scoparia gyrotoma, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xli., 7.) 
(Plate XXI., fig. 18 4.) 
This rather obscure species has occurred at Ida Valley, 
Alexandra South, and at Lake Tekapo. 
The expansion of the wings is ¢ inch. The fore-wings are 
very narrow with the termen rather oblique, dull grey- 
ish - white, more or less speckled with  dult brown and 
coppery scales, with blackish markings; there is an obscure, 
cloudy basal mark; the first line is very distinct, oblique, slightly 
indented near the middle; the orbicular and claviform are elon- 
gate, large, touching each other and the first line; the reniform 
is ill-defined, 8-shaped, touching) the second line; the second line 
is rather oblique followed by a cloudy dull whitish band; the 
terminal area is blackish with a very obscure paler sub-terminal 
line. The hind-wings are very pale greyish-white, darker towards 
the costa and termen. The cilia of all the wings are white. 
The perfect insect appears in November and December. 
It was captured flying over the stony shores of Lake 
Tekapo in hot sunshine. 
SCOPARIA INDISTINCTALIS. 
(Hypochalcia indistinctalis, Walk., Cat. 27, 48; Scoparia rakai- 
ensis, Knaggs, Ent. Mo. Mag., iv., 80; Scoparia indislinct- 
alis, Meyr.; Tran. N.Z. Inst., xvii., 97.) 
(Plate XXI., fig: 10 ¢.) 
This species has occurred at Tokaanu, Wairakei, Well- 
ington, Christchurch, Castle Hill, Dunedin, Lake Wakatipu, 
Lake Monowai, Invercargill, and Chatham Islands. It is 
probably very generally distributed. Formerly it was 
quite abundant, but of late years it has become compara- 
tively rare. 
The expansion of the wings is about ~ inch. The fore-wings 
are very pale grey speckled and marked with blackish-brown; 
the first line is strongly angulated outwards near the middle and 

