

i 
XVII—THE TINEIDAE. 281 ny 
IZATHA METADELTA. 
(Izatha metadelta, Meyr., Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1905, 238; 
zatha percnitis, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xli., 14.) 
(Plate XXX., fig. 20 @, 21 9.) 
This rather dark-looking species has occurred at Oha- 
kune, and in the neighbourhood of Wellington. 
The expansion of the wings of the male is slightly over 
¢ inch, of the female § inch. The fore-wings of the male are 
rich brown; there is a black-edged, deep brown, oblique, trans- 
verse band from the costa at about 4, not quite reaching the 
dorsum; another very broad band at about 3, containing a large, 
black-edged, darker spot on the disc; the termen is shaded with 
dark brown. The hind-wings are very dark blackish-brown, 
darkest near the apex and termen. The female is much paler, 
the ground colour being pinkish-brown, and the dark markings 
much more distinct in consequence; there is in addition a 
strongly curved pale sub-terminal line, and a series of terminal 
dots. The hind-wings in the female are dark brownish-ochreous, 
darker towards the apex and termen. In both sexes the head is 
furnished with a well-marked conical horny frontal prominence. 
The larva, which feeds under the bark of dead wine- 
berry trees (Aristotelia racemosa), closely resembles that 
of Izatha austera except that it has no tubercles. The habits 
of the two larvae are also identical. 
The perfect imsect appears from November till Feb- 
ruary. It frequents forest, but is rarely met with. It 
seems to be rather a late species and is more often seen in 
February than at any other time. In general appearance 
it somewhat resembles [zatha eptphanes, but is clearly dis- 
tinct from that species. 
IZATHA HPIPHANBES. 
(Semiocosma epiphanes, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xvi., 
(Plate XXV., fig. 24 9.) 
24.) 
This distinctly-marked species has occurred at Wai- 
tomo and in the neighbourhood of Wellington in the North 
Island. In the South Island it has been found at Lake 
Harris. 
The expansion of the wings is from # inch to 1 inch. The 
fore-wings are dull creamy white with blackish-brown markings; 
there is an irregular basal patch becoming fainter and broader 
towards the dorsum; a very large irregular pale-centred patch 
on the costa not reaching the dorsum but emitting a fine curved 
line almost touching the basal patch and two short teeth towards 
the termen; two small blackish spots are situated on the costa 
before the apex and a cloudy series of spots on the termen; the 
central portions of the cream-coloured areas are more or less 
clouded with pale brown and there is sometimes a faint, bluish- 
grey sub-terminal shading. The hind-wings are brownish-grey. 
There is considerable variation in the intensity of the 
dark markings and in the colour of the central portions of 
the pale areas. Some specimens are so much clouded with 
pale brown, or greyish-brown, that very little of the ori- 
ginal cream colour remains. 
The larva tunnels the dead branches of Pittosporwin, 
Fuchsia, and probably other trees, feeding during the win- 
ter months and becoming full-grown in the early spring. 
The perfect insect appears from the middle of Novem- 
ber until the end of December. It is almost always found 
resting on fences, or tree-trunks, its colouring evidently 
imitating lichens. It is never met with in large numbers 
and, as a rule, only one or two specimens are observed in 
a season. 
IZATHA MIRA. 
(Izatha mira, Philp., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xlv., 78.) 
(Plate XXXI., fig. 6 9.) 
This very distinctly-marked species has occurred at 
Ricearton near Christchurch, at Dunedin, on Mount Earns- 
law at an elevation of 4,000 feet above the sea-level and on 
the Hump Ridge, Southland, at about 3,000 feet, also on 
Longwood Range. 
The expansion of the wings is about inch. The fore-wings 
are elongate-oblong with the apex strongly rounded; dark bluish- 
grey with black markings; there is a short, oblique wavy trans- 
verse band near the base; another very oblique, strongly angu- 
lated band from the costa at 4 nearly reaching the dorsum at 
the middle; a triangular discal spot beyond the middle and a 
short sub-terminal band not reaching the costa; all these black 
markings are edged with bluish-white. The hind-wings are deep 
bronzy-brown, with a cloudy bronzy-black terminal band. 
The perfect insect appears from December till Febru- 
ary. It frequents the upper edges of the beech forest on 
the mountain sides, flying rapidly in the hottest sunshine. 
It is apparently a very rare species. 
IZATHA PRASOPHYTA. 
(Semiocosma prasophyta, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xvi., 25.) 
(Plate XXXII., fig. 4 9.) 
This very distinct, dull, golden-green species has 
occurred at Kaeo, North of Auckland, at Wellington, and 
at Taranaki. 
The expansion of the wings of the male is slightly under # 
inch, of the female slightly over # inch. The fore-wings are nar- 
rowly-oblong with the termen rather oblique, dull ochreous-green 
with brassy reflections; there is an oval, black-edged, white spot 
on the costa at the base; a white basal patch traversed by a 
very irregular blackish transverse line; two small blackish-brown 
marks on the costa before and beyond the middle; one or two 
patches of dark brown scales in the disc; two or three rather 
indistinct, curved, white transverse lines on the terminal area; 
four dark brown spots on the costa before the apex and a broken 
dark brown terminal line. The hind-wings are pale ochreous, 
clouded with brownish-grey towards the apex and termen. 
The perfect insect appears from the beginning of 
December until the end of February. It frequents forest, 
but is not often met with. Its peculiar colouring evidently 
imitates certain lichens, having a similar hue. When at 
rest the wings are held flat, shghtly overlapping; the 
antennae are placed backwards along the costa, the heavily- 
tufted tibiae of the intermediate legs are exposed and are 
coloured the same as the pale basal patch. They thus 
‘* break up ’’ the outline of the insect and much increase 
the value of the protective colouring. 
sionally captured at light. 
This species is occa- 

