
AVIT—THE 
The expansion of the wings is slightly under % inch. The 
fore-wings are narrow oblong; dark slaty-grey with bright gol- 
den-bronze reflections; the basal half is irregularly strewn with 
bluish-white scales which tend to form wavy transverse lines; 
there are three, very wavy, broken transverse lines of bluish- 
white scales on the apical area; distinct white costal spots at 
% and ? and Several scattered silvery metallic scales in the disc 
at # and on the termen near the middle. The hind-wings are 
pale bronzy-grey darker towards the apex “with an irregular 
white streak extending across the dorsal half of the wing from 
disc at % nearly to tornus.’” (Meyrick). The cilia are grey 
with a white line and white tips. The antennae are not ringed 
with white. 
The perfect insect appears in February, and fre- 
quents rough alpine herbage above the limit of forest. 
SIMAETHIS MARMAREA. 
(Simaethis marmarea, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xx., 85.) 
This species, which is extremely closely allied to S. 
microlitha, has occurred on the Mount Arthur Tableland 
at an elevation of 4,000 feet above the sea-level and at 
Lake Wakatipu at an altitude of 2,200 feet. 
The expansion of the wings is nearly 4 inch. Differs from 
S. microlitha in the hind-wings, which are more pointed and 
have the white streak reaching the tornus. 
The perfect insect appears in December and January, 
and frequents mountains. 
[77 re 
Aas a SIMAETHIS ANALOGA. 
(Simaethis analoga, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xliv., 122.) 
(Plate XLVI., fig. 1 9.) 
This little species was discovered by Mr. Meyrick, on 
the Mount Arthur Tableland, in January, 1886, at an 
altitude of 4,000 feet above the sea-level. It has since 
been taken in the same locality by Mr. Philpott. 
The expansion of the wings is barely +} inch. The fore- 
wings are dark blackish-grey with very strong bronzy reflections 
and silvery-white markings; there are three clear white lines 
on the costa beyond 4 continued across the wing as very broken 
suffused wavy lines, the outermost reaching the tornus and a 
cluster of shining silvery’ scales near the termen below the apex. 
The hind-wings are grey, darker towards the termen, with faint 
bronzy reflections; there is a white mark before the middle of 
the termen and sometimes a dot on the tornus. All the cilia are 
white mixed with black. 
Described and figured from one of the original speci- 
mens kindly given to me by Mr. Meyrick. 
SIMAETHIS MICROLITHA. 
(Simaethis microlitha, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xx., 84; 
ibid., xliv., 122.) 
(PlateexLe tie eae) 
This very dark-looking little species has occurred on 
Arthur’s Pass at an elevation of about 3,000 feet above 
the sea-level. 
The expansion of the wings is barely 2 inch. The antennae 
are very narrowly ringed with white. The fore-wings are nar- 
row-oblong with the costa rather strongly arched, deep bronzy- 
black; the basal third is irregularly sprinkled with violet- 
tinged whitish scales; there are two short oblique white bars 
on the outer half of the costa; two in the disc beyond the 
middle; one on the dorsum before the tornus and four minute 
TINEIDAE. 309 
silvery subterminal marks opposite the discal marks. The hind- 
wings are slightly paler than the fore-wings with a slender, 
regular well-marked white streak extending three-quarters across 
the wing to middle of termen and thence running partially inter- 
rupted near the termen almost to the tornus. 
The perfect insect appears in January, and frequents 
veronicas and rank herbage on the mountain side. 
SIMAETHIS ANTIGRAPHA. 
(Simaethis antigrapha, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xliii., 76.) 
CBlatewxXexex fis 28 4.) 
This pretty little species has occurred at Wellington. 
The expansion of the wings is considerably over % inch. 
The fore-wings, which are rather broad with the costa moder- 
ately arched, are very rich brownish-black; the basal third is 
thickly speckled with purplish-white, the speckling sometimes 
being partially divided into two or more bands; there is a clear 
transverse band of the ground colour near the middle of the 
wing containing a shining silvery discal spot; this is followed 
by a broad band of purplish white dots reaching from four-fifths 
of the costa to the tornus; there is another band of the ground 
colour with a few purplish-white scales close to the termen. The 
hind-wings are ovate triangular, dark brownish-black with a 
very faint subterminal series of whitish scales, stronger in the 
female. 
The perfect insect appears in November and Decem- 
ber, and flies actively in the late afternoon sunshine, often 
pausing to bask on flowers or leaves. It is sometimes 
locally abundant on the edges of scrub. Worn specimens 
are occasionally met with very early in the spring, and 
these have apparently hybernated. 
SIMAETHIS ALBIFASCIATA. 
(Simaethis albifasciatad, Philp., Trans. N.Z. Inst., lv., 213.) 
CRlaven is eie a Om mcOe) 
This species was discovered by Mr. Philpott on the 
Mount Arthur Tableland, Nelson, at an elevation of about 
4,000 feet above the sea-level. It has also occurred at 
Gouland Downs. In the North Island it has been taken 
on Mount Ruapehu. 
The expansion of the wings of the male is almost } inch; 
of the female about seven-sixteenths of an inch. The fore-wings 
of the male are broadly triangular; blackish-grey; there is a 
patch of whitish scales near the base; a broad band before mid- 
dle; a blackish discal dot, partially encircled with silvery scales; 
a very ill-defined subterminal band of whitish scales and several 
silvery scales near apex. The hind-wings are blackish-grey, 
with a somewhat club-shaped white band from near tornus to 
beyond disc and a much smaller band below this. The female 
is much paler with narrower and more oblong wings; there is 
a broad, almost clear white, subterminal transverse band; the 
margin of the dark grey basal area has a strong projection near 
the middle and there is @ pale greenish-grey band between this 
and the white subterminal band. 
The perfect insect appears in December. 
Described and figured from Mr. Philpott’s specimens. 
SIMAETHIS URBANA. 
(Simaethis urbana, Clarke, Trans. N.Z. Inst. Inst., lvi., 420.) 
(Plate LII., fig. 19 @.) 
This very distinct little species was discovered by Mr. 
C. H. Clarke at Arthur’s Pass. 

