
202 
of small blackish marks reaching half-way across the wing at 
about { and another series on the lower half of the termen. 
The hind-wings are dull brownish-ochreous with an indistinct 
sub-terminal line. The cilia of all the wings are dull brownish- 
ochreous. 
There is slight variation in the intensity of the mark- 
ines. 
The perfect insect appears in December and January, 
and chiefly frequents forest. It is usually captured at 
light. The wing markings, although conspicuous, are 
clearly imitative of bird droppings, and must afford the 
insect efficient protection when resting on the leaves or 
branches of trees. 
SCOPARIA SIDERASPIS. 
(Scoparia sideraspis, Meyr., Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1905, 231.) 
(Plate XXIV., fig. 24 9.) 
A few specimens of this conspicuous species have 
occurred on Vanguard Peak, Advance Peak, Mount HWarns- 
law and the Humboldt Range, Lake Wakatipu, at eleva- 
tions of about 5,000 feet. 
The expansion of the wings is about 13 inches. The body 
and legs ave very stout. The fore-wings are somewhat dilated 
towards the termen, very dark slaty-grey with brassy-green 
reflections; there are no markings except the reniform, which is 
ill-defined and slightly darker than the rest of the wing. The 
hind-wings are very dark brownish-ochreous with a broad dark 
brownish-black terminal band. The cilia of all the wings are 
dark brown. The undersurface, especially of the hind-wings, is 
much clouded with ochreous-yellow. 
The perfect insect appears from January till March, 
and frequents rocky places on high mountains, generally 
above 5,000 feet. It is only to be found during the hottest 
sunshine and flies with extreme rapidity. When resting on 
the rocks, with closed wings, it is very hard to see owing 
to the highly protective colouring of the fore-wings. 
The superficial resemblance of this insect to some forms 
of Tauwroscopa glaucophanes and to the mountain species 
included in the genus Gelophaula is interesting and remark- 
able. 
SCOPARIA NOMBEUTIS. 
(Scoparia nomeutis, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xvii., 
(Plate L., fig. 28 @.) 
This very dingy, obscurely-marked insect has oceurred 
on the mountains around Lake Wakatipu, on Longwood 
Range, The Hump, and the Hunter Mountains at eleva- 
tions of from 3,500 to 5,000 feet above sea-level. 
The expansion of the wings is about # inch. The fore- 
wings are rather elongate-triangular; dull grey heavily speckled 
with dull white, the markings are blackish; there are several 
small black marks near the base; the first line is obscure oblique 
hardly curved, slightly indented; the orbicular and claviform 
are very small black; the reniform 8-shaped, black-margined 
except above and beneath, touching a blackish cloud on middle 
of costa; the second line is rather abruptly angulated above mid- 
dle and indented beneath costa; the sub-terminal line very ob- 
scure, touching second line in middle. The hind-wings are grey. 
All the cilia are grey, mixed with dull white. 
Mr. Meyrick points out that the long antennal cilia- 
tions of the male is a good distinetive character so far as 
that sex is concerned. 
116.) 
XI—THE PYRALIDAE. 
The perfect insect appears from December till March, 
and frequents rocky places on mountains, where its dull 
erey colouring is highly protective. Mr. Philpott points 
out that the Hunter Mountain form is unusually large, a 
characteristic of several species inhabiting that locality. It 
is probably to be accounted for by the abundant vegetation, 
and the sheltered position of the range.* 
SCOPARIA PURA. 
(Scoparia purd, Philp., Trans. N.Z. Inst., lv., 208.) 
(Plate XXIV., fig. 39 @, 40 9.) 
This species, which has long been confounded with S. 
nomeutis, has oceurred on Mount Arthur and on the moun- 
tains around Lake Wakatipu at elevations from 3,500 to 
5,000 feet. 
The expansion of the wings of the male is { inch, of the 
female # inch. The fore-wings of the male are pale grey with 
blackish markings; the first line is strongly outwards curved, 
oblique; the orbicular and claviform are distinct; the orbicular 
ovate, the claviform elongate; the reniform is 8-shaped; the sec- 
ond line distinct wavy oblique, strongly angulated below the 
costa; all these markings are more or less edged with white; 
there is a series of terminal dots. The hind-wings are dark 
ochreous-grey, paler near the base. In the female the fore-wings 
are very pale grey, slightly clouded with darker grey on the 
disc and dorsum and the dark markings are much more con- 
spicuous than in the male. 
The perfect insect appears in January. 
SCOPARIA CALIGINOSA. 
(Scoparia caliginosa, Philp., Trans. N.Z. Inst., 1, 127.) 
(Plate XLY., fig. 2 9.) 
This obscure species was discovered by Mr. J. H. 
Lewis, probably at Matakanui. 
The expansion of the wings is slightly over g inch. The 
fore-wings are pale grey, with blackish-grey markings; there is 
an oblique mark on the costa near the base; the first line is 
distinct, strongly angulated outwards near the middle; the reni- 
form is cloudy with an indistinct paler centre; there is a very 
slender wavy second line followed by a very large blotch cover- 
ing the whole of the sub-terminal area and a fine terminal line. 
The hind-wings are dark grey. The cilia of all the wings are 
grey. 
Described and figured from the type specimen in Mr. 
Philpott’s collection. 
SCOPARIA PARACHALCA. 
(Scoparia parachaica, Meyr., Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1901, 569.) 
(Plate XXII., fig. 10 9.) 
This species was discovered flying over the stony banks 
of Lake Tekapo. 
The expansion of the wings is % inch. 
golden bronzy-brown almost destitute of distinct markings. 
hind-wings are dark brown, darker towards the termen. 
The perfect inyect appears in December, and flies 
rapidly in the hottest sunshine. 
The fore-wings are 
The 
SCOPARIA ORGANAEA. 
(Scoparia organaea, Meyr., Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1901, 569.) 
(Plate XT his, 27 88.) 
This species is very common on the old moraines near 
the Mount Cook Hermitage. It has also occurred on Flag- 

*Trans. N.Z. Inst., xlix., 223. 

