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(Mallobathra fragilis, Philp., Trans. N.Z. Inst., lvii., 708.) 
(Plate LII., fig. 6.) 
This fragile-looking little species was discovered by 
Mr. 8. Lindsay at Riecearton Bush, near Christchurch. 
The expansion of the wings is 3 inch. The fore-wings are 
elongate-elliptical, with the apex and tornus rounded; pale grey, 
irregularly sprinkled with small clusters of darker grey scales; 
a narrow blackish suffusion on costa at base; a rather large 
blackish spot on costa near middle, and a smaller spot at 3; a 
series of ill-defined blackish spotS around apex and along ter- 
men. The hind-wings are pale grey; the cilia of all the wings 
are grey. 
The perfect insect appears in October. 
Deseribed and figured from a specimen submitted by 
Mr. Philpott. 
‘“MALLOBATHRA METROSEMA. 
(Mallobathra metrosema, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xx., 103.) 
(Plates xa lentes bea): 
This species was discovered by Mr. Meyrick at Christ- 
church in 1882. It has also occurred on the sea-coast near 
Wellington. 
The expansion of the wings is Seven-sixteenths of an inch. 
The fore-wings are pale warm brownish-ochredus with darker 
brown markings; there is an indistinct blotch on the costa before 
the middle and a fainter blotch beyond the middle; a conspicu- 
ous blotch on the middle of the dorsum, the whole of the costal 
and apical portions of the wing are very sparsely strewn with 
minute brown marks. The hind-wings are greyish-ochreous, 
clouded with warm ochreous-brown towards the apex. The an- 
tennal ciliations are about four times the breadth of the stalk. 
The perfect insect appears in September. 
Described and figured from one of the original speci- 
mens kindly given to me by Mr. Meyrick. 
MALLOBATHRA ILLUSTRIS. 
(Mallobathra illustris, Philp., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xlix., 245.) 
(Plate XLVI., fig. 17.) 
This very distinct species was discovered by Mr. Phil- 
pott on The Hump, Southland, at an elevation of about 
3,000 feet above the sea-level. 
The fore-wings are pale purplish-grey, clouded with black- 
ish-grey on the terminal area; there is a large triangular creamy 
white blotch on the middle of the dorsum, its apex reaching the 
disc; a smaller blotch on the tornus; two whitish spots obliquely 
placed near the termen and three obscure whitish bars on the 
costa; the cilia are dull grey with a broad white patch in the 
middle of the termen and at the tornus. The hind-wings are 
pale brownish-grey, with pale grey cilia. 
The perfect insect appears from December till Febru- 
ary. 
Described and figured from a specimen in Mr. Phil- 
pott’s collection. 
MALLOBATHRA LAPIDOSA. 
(Mallobathra lapidosa, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xlvi., 117.) 
(Plate XXXIX., fig. 15 4, 16 9; Plate III., fig. 11 larva in case; 
10 ditto withdrawn from case.) ; 
This species, which is very closely allied to Malloba- 
thra homalopa, has'oceurred at Wellington. 
The expansion of the wings of the male is about 4 inch; 
of the female seven-sixteenths of an inch. The fore-wings of the 

XVIT.W—THE 

TINEIDAE. 
male are dark brown with coppery reflections and the veins 
obscurely marked in darker brown; there are several very small 
pale yellowish marks on the dorsum; the hind-wings are dark 
greyish-brown with coppery reflections. The antennae are strongly 
dentate with long ciliations. The female has the fore-wings 
golden-ochreous with a series of broad purplish-brown bars 
on the costa; the rest of the wing is thickly mottled with purp- 
lish-brown. The hind-wings are grey. The extremity of the 
abdomen is furnished with a very large tuft of hair-like scales, 
which are used by the female’ to cover her eggs immediately 
they are laid. 
The larva feeds on moss growing on tree trunks. It 
constructs a portable conical case of shaggy moss in which 
it lives during the spring and early summer. These cases 
are very hard to see amongst the moss and must afford the 
larvae ‘efficient protection against enemies. The length of 
the larva when full-grown is about + inch; the head and 
thoracic segments are very stout and horny; the head is 
light brown and the ‘anterior edge of the second segment 
also brown; the rest of the thoracic segments are dark 
metallic bronzy-green; the legs are large and strong; the 
rest of the body is very pale dull greenish-ochreous with 
the surface much ridged and wrinkled, the summits of the 
ridges pale bronzy-green; the anal segment is rich bronzy- 
green; there are minute ventral prolegs on segments 7, 8 
and 9 only; the anal proleg is large and strong, and is no 
doubt used to retain the larva in its ‘ease. 
Before the change into the pupa state takes place, the 
case is firmly attached by its anterior end to the tree-trunk 
and both apertures closed up, the moth finally forcing its 
way out of the posterior end of the ease. 
The perfect msect appears in December and January. 
At present it has only been bred from the eases, 
MALLOBATHRA CRATABA, 
(Mallobathra crataea, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xx., 102; strigu- 
lata, Philp.. ib., lv., 214; fenwicki, Philp., lv., 214.) 
(Plate XL., fig. 2 @.) 
This species is very common in the neighbourhood of 
Wellington. It has also occurred around Nelson and 
Invercargill. 
The expansion of the wings of the male is slightly over 4 
inch; of the female fully = inch. The forewings of the male 
have the costa-arched beyond the middle, the termen oblique 
and the tornus pronounced; bronzy-purplish-brown faintly 
spotted with dull golden-ochreous; there is a large blackish spot 
on the middle of the dorsum followed by a pale! yellow spot to- 
wards the tornus. The hind-wings are dark grey with bronzy 
reflections. In the female the arching of the costa is less pro- 
nounced; the general colour paler and the golden-ochreous spots 
more numerous. The hind-wings are pale grey. 
Varies considerably both in size, and in depth and in- 
tensity of markings. A very dark form is ranked by Mr. 
Philpott as a distinct species, under the name of Mallo- 
bathra fenwicki. The wing scales are most liable to be 
rubbed off and henee it ig extremely difficult to obtain 
really good specimens for the cabinet. 
The egg is about one-fortieth of an inch in length, 
elongate-oval, white, without any trace of sculpture. 
