
XVIT.—THE 
The expansion of the wings is slightly under 4 inch. The 
fore-wings are dull purplish, very thickly overlaid with blackish 
and orange-brown scales; a heavy sprinkling of black scales on 
basal third of costa; two clusters of orange-brown and yellow 
raised scales in disc at 4, a large patch of bright brown around 
these; a curved band of dull whitish scales from middle of costa 
to beyond middle of dorsum; « large discal spot consisting of 
pale yellow, orange-brown, and black raised scales; above this 
spot there is a patch of very rich brown, and below it a patch 
of bright orange-brown; the apical area is purplish-brown; there 
is a whitish sub-terminal line and a black terminal line; the 
cilia are yellowish-brown. The hind-wings and cilia are brown- 
ish-black. 
The perfect insect appears in December. 
Genus 13—COROCOSMA, Meyr. 
Head with appressed scales; ocelli posterior; tongue devel- 
oped. Antennae } (in ¢@ probably with long ciliations), basal 
joint moderate, with narrow pecten. Labial palpi moderate, 
curved, ascending, slender, second joint loosely scaled beneath, 
terminal joint shorter than second, pointed. Maxillary palpi 
rudimentary. Thorax with posterior crest. Posterior tibiae 
rough-sealed above with whorls of projecting scales on origin 
of spurs. Fore-wings with large tufts of scales on surface; vein 
1b furcate, 2 from near angle, 7 absent, 11 from middle. Hind- 
wings under 1, elongate-ovate, cilia 1; veins 3 and 4 connate, 5-7 
somewhat approximated towards base. 
Allied to the remarkable Australian genus Petalanthes, 
of which it appears to be a development, differing in the 
absence of vein 7 and reduction of terminal joint of palpi; 
it belongs to the group of Trachypepla. I infer, therefore, 
that it is to be ineluded in. that portion of the New Zealand 
fauna which immigrated from Queensland by way of New 
Caledonia (Meyrick). 
Only one species is known at present. 
COROCOSMA MEMORABILIS. 
(Corocosma memorabilis, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., lvii., 700.) 
(Plate Lil., fig. 12 9.) 
This stoutly-built, refulgent little insect was discov- 
ered by Stella Hudson, at Shedwood Forest, Tapawera, 
near Nelson. 
The expansion of the wings is five-sixteenths of an inch. 
The fore-wings are rather broad, with the termen obliquely 
rounded; purplish-bronze; there is a small black area at the 
base; two elongate black spots in disc before middle, each con- 
taining several silvery metallic scales; a cluster of coppery- 
metallic scales in disc beyond middle; a strongly angulated black 
sub-terminal line, broadly margined with whitish towards base; 
the cilia are blackish, with the tips coppery-metallic. The hind- 
wings and cilia are dark brown. 
Of this species Mr. Meyrick says: ‘‘ This seemingly 
obscure, but really beautiful little insect (the smallest of 
the 164 New Zealand Oecophorides) is probably adapted 
by its complex marking and rough sealing for concealment 
on tree-trunks, and by its bright metallic and coppery 
ornamentation for flying in sunshine, both these habits 
being characteristic of the species of Petalanthes also.’’ 
The perfect insect appears in January and may be 
‘looked for in forest. 
TINEIDAE. 
bo 
CO 
ca | 
Genus 14—ATOMOTRICHA, Meyr. 
Antennae in ¢ with whorls of long cilia, basal joint with 
pecten. Thorax smooth. Fore-wings with small tufts of scales. 
Hind-wings elongate-ovate. Wings in 9 usually abbreviated or 
aborted. (Plate G., fig. 24, head of Atomotricha isogama.) 
Nine species have been recorded in New Zealand. 
Three confined to the North Island; four to the South 
Island, and two common to both islands. 
This very interesting endemic genus presents excep- 
tional difficulties to the student, especially in respect of 
those forms having semi-apterous females. The markings 
and general coloration are so variable that but little reli- 
ance can be placed on these characters. Nothing is at 
present known regarding the life-histories of these remark- 
able insects and the entire genus offers a most promising 
field to the enterprising investigator. 
ATOMOTRICHA VERSUTA. 
(Atomotricha versuta, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xlvi., 109.) 
(Blate XOOXI.; figs, 18; 19, 20) 4 varieties; 7, 14, 21 
2 varieties.) 
This interesting species has oceurred plentifully at 
Karori, near Wellington. 
The expansion of the wings of the male is about 14 inches, 
of the female about 8 inch. The fore-wings of the male are elon- 
gate with the apex obtuse and the termen very obliquely 
rounded; there are three principal varieties connected by numer- 
ous intermediate forms; these may be briefly described as fol- 
lows :— 
(1.) Fore-wings bright ochreous-brown with blackish cen- 
tral stripe and terminal dots. 
(2.) Fore-wings pale ochreous-brown with brown discal 
marks before and beyond middle; a very strongly 
angulated transverse line at 2 and a series of faint 
terminal spots. 
(3.) Same as 2 but the whole of the fore-wings, except a 
broad dorsal stripe, clouded with dull brown. This 
form varies much in the general depth of the colour- 
ing, the fore-wings of some specimens being more 
or less clouded with dull black. 
In all the varieties the hind-wings are pale ochreous, tinged 
with grey in the darker forms; there is often a series of faint 
terminal dots on the cilia. The female has the fore-wings abbre- 
viated and quite incapable of flight and the hind-wings rudimen- 
tary; the same varieties occur as in the male, but the general 
colouring is duller and the markings less distinct; the fore- 
wings are extremely pointed at the apex. 
The perfect insect appears in August and September. 
The females are found at night resting on fences, where 
they appear to be unaffected by either cold winds or frost. 
The males also occur in the same situations but seem to be 
less plentiful. 
ATOMOTRICHA OMMATIAS. 
(Atomotricha ommdatias, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xvi., 10; 
ibid., xlvi., 109.) 
This species, which is extremely closely allied to A. 
versuta, has oceurred in Christchurch, 

