AVIF—THE 
The perfect insect appears in December and January, 
and is found in dense forest ravines, where it is very diffi- 
cult to see in the uneertain light. Its resemblance to 
Glyphipteryx leptosema is so close that an instance of pro- 
tective mimicry is suggested. 
TINEA FAGICOLA. 
(Tinea fagicola, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., liii., 336.) 
(Plate XLVII., fig. 15 @.) 
This little species is fairly common in the beech for- 
ests on the eastern side of Wellington Harbour. 
The expansion of the wings is slightly over % inch. Closely 
allied to 7. mdargaritis, from which it differs in the extremely 
mottled character of the ground colour dnd markings; the 
absence of the large triangular white patch near the middle of 
the dorsum; the relatively shorter and stouter palpi and the 
antennae which in T. margaritis are relatively longer with closer 
and much more numenous joints (nearly 50), whilst in T. fagi- 
cola they do not much exceed 30 and are more distinct. 
The perfect insect appears from December till Febru- 
ary, and flies actively in hot sunshine. It rests on the 
blackened trunks of Nothofagus fusca, in which situation 
it is extremely hard to see. The resemblance to Glyphip- 
teryx is not so close in this species as it is in 7. margaritis. 
TINEA SPHENOCOSMA. 
(Tinea sphenocosma, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., li., 353.) 
(Plate XXXVIIL., fig. 24 9.) 
A few specimens of this very interesting species have 
occurred in the neighbourhood of Wellington. 
The expansion of the wings is seven-sixteenths of an inch. 
The fore-wings are deep brownish-black, with purplish and 
bronzy reflections, closely strewn with irregular whitish dots or 
small spots except towards costa; there are eleven slightly 
oblique transverse or wedge-shaped white spots from costa, the 
first five extended as streaks nearly half across wing, fifth en- 
larged into spot at extremity: the cilia are brown with two 
darker shades; a direct projecting dark brown bar at apex mar- 
gined on both sides by triangular white spaces. The hind-wings 
are purplish-brown, the cilia brown. 
The perfect insect appears from December till March. 
It occurs amongst scrubby forest, and further specimens 
will most likely be obtained by careful sweeping. The 
resemblance of the markings of this insect to those present 
in certain species of Glyphipteryx is most remarkable, and 
is strongly suggestive of mimicry. 
TINEA ACCUSATRIX. 
(Tinea accusatrix, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xlviii, 419.) 
(Plate XLVII., fig. 2 @.) 
This very distinctly-marked little species has occurred 
at Kaitoke and on the eastern side of Wellington Harbour. 
The expansion of the wings is Seven-sixteenths of an inch. 
The fore-wings are elongate with the costa rather strongly 
arched before apex; creamy-white, with bronzy-grey markings, 
more or less strongly outlined in blackish; two large curved 
wedge-shaped marks on basal half of costa; two very fine longi- 
tudinal streaks in disc below these; two smaller wedge-shaped 
marks followed by three crescentic bars on outer half of costa; 
a@ conspicuous black spot at apex; a small mark on dorsum at 
base; a very elongate curved mark near middle of dorsum; sev- 
eral indistinct marks on termen connected with the costal bars; 
TINEIDAE. 345 
the costal cilia are cream-coloured with the darker bars con- 
tinued thereon; a hong dark tuft at apex; basal half of terminal 
cilia bronzy, apical half creamy-white tipped with black. Hind- 
wings and cilia very pale grey. 
The perfect insect appears from the middle of Octo- 
ber until December. It frequents beech forests, resting on 
the blackened trunks, where it closely resembles a minute 
fragment of dried grass. It is very wary and flies with 
considerable rapidity. The resemblance of the wing mark- 
ings and cilia to those of certain species of Glyphipteryx 
is unmistakable. 
TINEA ASTRABA., 
(Tinea astraea, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xliii., 68.) 
CRlatemexecy I etic ne San) 
This rare and interesting species was discovered by 
My. Philpott at Otatara, near Invercargill. 
The expansion of the wings is barely five-sixteenths of an 
inch. The fore-wings are pale grey with blackish-grey markings; 
there are several indistinct patches of dark scales on the basal 
third; two broad but rather faint costal bars in the middle and 
at #, reaching more than half-way across the wing; the apical 
and terminal areas are wholly blackish-grey; there are three wor 
four distinct, curved, pale whitish-crescentic marks on the costa 
near the apex and the terminal cilia are arranged in three dis- 
tinct series, thus giving the insect a strong superficial resem- 
blance to a Glyphipteryx. The hind-wings are grey with purp- 
lish reflections. 
The perfect insect appears in December, and frequents 
forest. The resemblance to Glyphipteryx is here very pro- 
nounced and requires explanation. 
Described and figured from rather poor specimens in 
Mr. Philpott’s collection. 
TINEA CYMODOCE. 
(Tinea cymodoce, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., lv., 206.) 
CPlatee evil, fess 4’) 
This species has occurred in the North Island at Wha- 
kapapa on the lower slopes of Mount Ruapehu, at an alti- 
tude of about 4,000 feet, and at Makara near Wellington. 
In the South Island it has been found on Mount Arthur 
(3,600 feet), and at Opoho near Dunedin. 
The expansion of the wings is slightly under 4 inch. The 
fore-wings are elliptical, bronzy black in male with strong gol- 
den-ochreous reflections dnd fine white markings; there are 
three double lines on costa, at about 4, 4, and #, reaching half- 
way across the wing, and four single short bars beyond this; 
on the dorsum there is an irregular white blotch at about 4; 
four rather indistinct lines between this and apex; the lines on 
termen are connected with several of the costal lines by obscure 
steely-blue patches; there is a very distinct jet black spot at 
the apex, and the termen and apical portion of the costa are bor- 
dered with jet black scales, broken by the ends of the white 
lines; the cilia are blackish mixed with bronze. The hind-wings 
are pale grey, strewn with blackish scales, with purplish reflec- 
tions. In the female the general ground colour is very much 
paler, inclining to whitish-ochreous in the disc, the bronzy-black 
colouring being confined to the interspaces between the trans- 
verse lines on costa and dorsum. 
The perfect insect appears in November, December 
and January. This species has a deceptive resemblance to 
certain species of Glyphipterysx. 

