AXVU,—THE 
Genus 2.—ISONOMEUTIS, Meyr. 
Forehead with projecting scales. Antennae in male filiform, 
shortly ciliated (4). Palpi very long, straight, porrected, with 
rough projecting scales above and beneath, somewhat attenuated, 
terminal joint concealed. Thorax smooth. Posterior tibiae 
smooth-sealed. Fore-wings with veins 3 and 4 approximated at 
base, 7 to termen, surface with small tufts of scales. Hind-wings 
markedly narrower than fore-wings, rounded; veins 3 and 4 
short-stalked, 5, 6, 7 tolerably parallel, lower median naked. 
(Plate A., figs. 17, 18, 19 neuration and head of Isonomeutis 
amauropa.) 
A singular endemic genus of very doubtful affinities, 
represented by two species only, both confined to the North 
Island. 
ISONOMEUTIS AMAUROPA. 
(Isonomeutis amauropa, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xx., 75.) 
(Plate XLY., fig. 22 @; fig. 23 9; Plate III., fig. 8 larva.) 
This interesting, though rather dull-coloured species, 
has occurred at Kaeo, Whangarei, Waimarino, and Well- 
ington in the North Island. At present it has not been 
taken in the South Island. 
The expansion of the wings is § inch. All the wings are 
pale yellowish-bronze very heavily speckled with dark blackish- 
brown scales in the male but with only a few dark scales in the 
female. The fore-wings are rather elongate with the apex 
rounded and the termen oblique; there is an irregular broken 
black stripe at 4; @ conspicuous elongate discal dot; a more or 
less conspicuous spot near the middle of the dorsum; a broad 
dark transverse band at % bowed towards the termen; three or 
four indistinct blackish dots on the costa before the apex; an 
obscure sub-terminal shade and series of terminal dots. The 
hind-wings, which are rather small with the apex rounded, have 
a conspicuous black discal dot; a faint irregular ring of black- 
ish-brown enclosing a paler area near the tornus and a dark 
terminal shading towards the apex. The markings are very 
similar in both sexes but owing to the much paler ground colour- 
ing of the female they are plainer in that sex than in the male. 
The larva lives under the sealy bark of the rimu tree 
(Dacrydium cupressinum) feeding on the soft, juicy inner 
bark and sap and forming galleries of frass and silk. 
When full-grown it is about # inch long, moderately stout 
and rather flattened. The head is brown highly polished; the 
second segment has a large dorsal and two small shining brown 
lateral plates; segments 3 and 4 each have two narrow oblique 
horny plates; the rest of the body is soft, bright pinkish-brown 
above, much paler beneath; there are three conspicuous warts on 
each segment except the last and two obscure warts below the 
lateral ridge; the last segment is dark yellowish-brown with 
numerous warts. The whole larva is clothed with a few scat- 
tered black bristles, which are more numerous at each extremity. 
The pupa is enclosed in an oval cocoon constructed of 
tough silk covered on the outside with frass and fragments 
of bark. It is securely hidden in a crevice under the bark. 
The perfect insect appears from November till Feb- 
ruary, and frequents forest. It often rests on the upper 
surfaces of leaves basking in the sunshine and at such 
times is very agile. It is not a common species. 
ISONOMEUTIS RESTINCTA. 
(Isonomeutis restincta, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., liv., 166.) 
(Plate XLIX., fig. 13 9.) 
A single specimen of this interesting species has 
occurred at Kaeo, north of Auckland. 


TINEIDAE. 297 
*4 
The expansion of the wings is nearly 4 inch. The fore- 
wings are elongate-oval with the termen very oblique, - pale 
brownish-ochreous with very irregular blackish-brown markings; 
there is an indefinite patch at the base; two or three ill-defined 
blotches beyond this; a large irregular patch in the disc; sev- 
eral ill-defined bars on the costa; an obscure sub-terminal line 
and a series of terminal spots. The hind-wings are pale ochre- 
ous-brown, very thickly strewn with darker brown scales, with : 
a darker discal spot and a series of much darker brown blotches 
and paler interspaces around the tornus. The head and thorax 
are pale brown; the abdomen is pale brown, ringed with bright 
brown, iF 
The perfect insect appears in January. 
Sub-family 6.—HELIODINIDES. 
Head smooth. Basal joint of antennae without pecten. 
Labial palpi long, recurved, slender, acute. Maxillary palpi rudi- } 
mentary or obsolete. Posterior legs raised from surface in re- 
pose, tarsi with whorls of bristles at apex of basal joints. Fore- 
wings with veins 7 and 8 separate or stalked. Hind-wings lanceo- 
late, 2-5 remote. (Plate H., figs. 7-17.) 
A considerable sub-family, chiefly tropical, represented 
in New Zealand by the five following genera: 
1, CALICOTIS. 3. STATHMOPODA. 
2. VANICELA. 4, PACHYRHABDA, 
5. THYLACOSCELES. 
Genus 1—CALICOTIS, Meyr. 
Basal joint of antennae dilated to form an eyecap. 
wings with vein 4 absent. 
Also occurs in Australia and the Seychelles (probably 
the Malayan region). 
Represented in New Zealand by one species only. 
Hind- 
CALICOTIS CRUCIFERA. 
(Calicotis crucifera, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xxi., 170.) 
(Plate XXXII., fig. 13 9.) 
This beautiful little insect seems to be very local, but 
when found is generally abundant. It has occurred at 
Taranaki, Palmerston North and Wellington. 
The expansion of the wings is Seven-sixteenths of an inch. 
The fore-wings are very harrow with the apex acute; snow white 
with black and orange-brown markings; there is a small patch 
of orange-brown on the costa at 4; @ much larger patch with a 
cloudy blackish centre on the dorsum at 4; an oblique stripe 
of orange brown from the costa near the middle with a small 
blackish patch on the costa; a cloudy orange-brown mark at 
the apex with a black centre. The hind-wings are dull white. 
According to Mr. Meyrick the larva has 16 legs, is 
moderately stout, cylindrical, active; whitish flesh-colour, 
or whitish; head pale whitish-brown. It feeds on Platy- 
cerium grande (a large epiphytic fern growing on tree 
trunks), burrowing amongst the ripe fructifaction beneath Wa 
the fronds and forming galleries of loose refuse. It is 
found in March. 
The perfect: insect appears in February and March. It 
is common amongst its foodplant. It also occurs plenti- 
fully in the Botanical Gardens at Sydney, but has not been . 
met with in the native forest in Australia, and it is there- iS 
fore at least possible that it was introduced into Sydney bi 

