AXVIIT—THE TINEIDAE. 275 
the costa is narrowly edged with brown from the base to 4; 
there is a large irregular brown patch on the dorsum from the 
base to about 4; this patch is slightly speckled with black and 
has a very large blackish-brown double spot at its termination; 
there is a very large black-edged brown discal spot beyond the 
middle; a brown patch on the costa almost touching it; a series 
of diminishing blackish-brown marks from the apex nearly 
reaching the tornus, and a blackish spot on the dorsum just 
before the tornus. The hind-wings are pale brownish-grey. 
The perfect insect appears from December till Febru- 
ary, and occurs fairly commonly in low lying kahikatea* 
forests, usually resting on the tree trunks. When disturbed 
it flies to the ground and hides amongst the dead leaves and 
twigs. 
GYMNOBATHRA FLAVIDELLA. 
(Gelechia flavidella, Walk., Oat., xxix., 655; Oecophora utuella, 
Feld., Reis. Nov., Pl. cxl, 46; Gymnobathra flavidella, 
Meyr., Trans: N.Z) Inst:, xvis, 3.) 
(Plate XXX., fig. 18 4, fig. 19 @ variety; Plate III., 
fig. 9 larva.) 
This very beautiful little species is common and gener- 
ally distributed throughout the North Island, but has not 
been taken south of Christchurch in the South Island. 
The expansion of the wings varies from slightly over 4 
inch to nearly # inch. The fore-wings are bright yellow, with 
rosy-brown markings; there is a minute mark on the costa at 
the base, a very indistinct costal edging and apical shading and 
three more or less distinct dark brown discal dots; a conspicuous 
triangular patch of rosy-brown is situated at the tornus, bordered 
towards the base with a blackish-brown line, which extends as 
a faint cloudy mark towards the costa. The hind-wings are 
white, with the costal and terminal portions strongly clouded 
with pale rosy-brown. The cilia of all the wings are rosy-brown. 
In some specimens the fore-wings are more or less clouded with 
orange-brown and, as already indicated, there is considerable 
variation in size. 
The larva inhabits dead or dying terminal shoots of 
wharangi (Brachyglottis repanda), feeding on the central 
pith. It lives during the winter and spring months, being 
full-grown about November. At this time its length is 
about % inch; the head is globose, bright shining reddish- 
brown; the body is elongate slender and cylindrical; the 
second segment is furnished with a pale ochreous dorsal 
plate; the third and fourth segments are slightly swollen, 
the remaining segments being elongate, with the divisions 
clearly marked. The general colour of the larva is pale 
ochreous, with a pale reddish-brown dorsal line, indicating 
the position of the alimentary canal. The whole surface 
of the larva is highly polished, but no warts or tubercles 
are visible, although such probably exist as hardened spots. 
The pupa state is spent within one of the burrows 
made by the larva. 
The perfect insect appears from the end of December 
until late in February. It is found in forests, where it is 
often very common. 
The very beautiful colouring of this species suggests 
that its charms may have been acquired for the purpose 

*Podocarpus dacrydioides. 
of sexual attraction, and when flying, or running about, its 
briliance renders it somewhat conspicuous. When, how- 
ever, it is resting on the ground with closed wings, the 
rosy-brown hind-wings being then hidden, it closely resem- 
bles a small bright yellow fallen leaf, and as the insect so 
often falls motionless to the ground when disturbed, and 
is common during the late summer, this resemblance is not 
likely to be accidental. It may therefore be fairly assumed 
that the peculiarities displayed by this interesting and 
attractive little insect are chiefly due to the combined oper- 
ations of natural and sexual selection. 
GYMNOBATHRA COARCTATELLA. 
(Cryptolechia coarctatella, Walk., Cat. xxix., 768; G@ymnobathra 
coarctatella, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xvi., 28.) 
(Plates XOXO fies bo), 
This rather bright-looking species has occurred at 
Wellington, Nelson, Takaka, Castle Hill, Ida Valley, Inver- 
eargill, and Stewart Island. It is probably generally dis- 
tributed throughout the country. 
The expansion of the wings is ¢ inch. The fore-wings are 
bright orange-brown,; there is usually a more or less conspicuous 
black discal spot beyond the middle and sometimes two smaller 
spots near the fold before the middle. The hind-wings are bright 
ochreous, clouded with grey towards the base. 
In some specimens the colouring of the fore-wings is 
much brighter than in others and, as already indicated, 
there is variation in the presence or absence of the black 
diyeal spots. 
The perfect insect appears from November till Febru- 
ary. It frequents forests or serub, being most plentiful 
either in beech forests (Nothofagus) or in manuka scrub 
(Leptospermum). When disturbed it usually falls to the 
ground with closed wings, and in this situation the shape 
and colouring of the fore-wings cause it to closely resemble 
a small dead leaf. In this connection it is interesting to 
observe that the red form of Cryptolechia lochroa which, 
superficially, closely resembles a large specimen of the 
present species, has a precisely similar habit. 
GYMNOBATHRA SARCOXANTHA. 
(Gymnobathra sarcozantha, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xvi., 29.) 
This species, which is very closely allied to the last, 
has occurred at Christchurch, Dunedin and Lake Waka- 
tipu. 
The expansion of the wings is slightly over # inch. It dif- 
fers from Gymnobathra coarctatella in the following respects:— 
The fore-wings are more elongate and the ground colour much 
lighter, being often dull ochreous. The hind-wings are whitish- 
ochreous, dnd are not clouded with grey. 
The perfect insect appears from January till March. 
It is probably often mistaken for a worn or faded specimen 
of G. coarctatella, 
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