













































360 XVUI—THE 
(Cordiceps roberts) which ultimately converts them into 
‘‘vegetable caterpillars,’ the true nature of which has 
often aroused considerable popular interest and misappre- 
hension. The fungus usually attacks the larva in the head 
or back of the neck, between the head and the second seg- 
ment, killing the insect in its subterranean habitat and 
subsequently growing upwards, through the soil, to a 
height of four or five inches. Fructification takes place 
near the top of the stem. The presence of the fungus con- 
verts the entire larva into a hard, pith-like substance and 
thus permanently preserves it. 
The fine ichneumon-fly, Proboloides buchanam, which 
we sometimes observe abroad in winter, and the females of 
which are often found hybernating in crevices under the 
bark of rimu trees (Dacrydiwm cupressinum), is parasitic 
in the larva of several species of this genus. 
Four species of Porina are confined to the North 
Island; eleven to the South Island, and four oceur in both 
islands. 
PORINA SENEX. 
(Porina senex, Huds., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xl., 107; Porina 
annulata, Hamilton, Trans. N.Z. Inst., xli., 48.) 
(Plate XLUI., fig. 1 @; Plate XLIX., fig. 20 9.) 
This very interesting species was discovered by Mr. J. 
H. Lewis on the Old Man Range, Central Otago, at an 
elevation of about 4,000 feet. It has also occurred in the 
Wakatipu region. 
The expansion of the wings of the male is two inches, of 
the female 12 inches. The fore-wings of the male are rather 
elongate with the costa strongly arched before the apex; rich 
brown, paler towards the base and dorsum; there are very 
numerous conspicuous white and pale yellow spots between the 
veins consisting of several faint irregular white markings near 
the base; a condensed oblique series of white and yellow mark- 
ings from the apex to the middle of the dorsum and a sub-ter- 
minal series of yellow bars; the costal markings are all white 
and very small, The hind-wings are pale warm brown and 
semi-transparent with a few whitish marks between the veins 
near the apex. The head and body are clothed with a mixture 
of dark brown and ochreous hairs. The antennae of the male 
are rather long, deep reddish-chocolate, and strongly bipectin- 
ated throughout. In the female the antennae are moderately 
bipectinated. The fore-wings are almost black with white mark- 
ings; there is a fine longitudinal line from the base close to the 
costal edge ending in a small eye-like mark at 3; two oblong 
white marks in the disc before middle; a broad white subter- 
minal band containing a black dot below apex; two black cen- 
tred white spots on vein 2 and a curved basal streak below 
these. The hind-wings are slightly translucent, blackish-grey 
becoming black at the apex where there are two minute white 
marks, 
The original specimen of this insect, a dwarf male, 
was bred in February from a pupa found under stones and 
kindly given to me by Mr. Lewis. A second and very 
much finer specimen, also a male, is in the Dominion 
Museum and formed the subject of the figure and deserip- 
tion given in this work. It was captured on Mount Aurum 
near Lake Wakatipu by Mr. Harold Hamilton in Novem- 
ber 1907, on a tussocky patch amongst the gentians. A 
third specimen was taken by Mr. F. S. Oliver, on the hills 

HEPIALIDAE. 
behind Glenorchy at the head of Lake Wakatipu, where he 
subsequently discovered the female. 
PORINA AURIMACULATA. 
(Porina aurimaculata, Philp. Trans. N.Z. Inst., xlvi., 121.) 
(Plate XLII., fig. 12 @.) 
This large and extremely handsome insect was discov- 
ered by Mr. F. S. Oliver at the Hermitage, near Mount 
Cook. 
The expansion of the wings of the male is 2% inches. The 
fore-wings of the male are dark ochreous-brown, slightly paler 
in the disc; the costa is clouded with brownish-black near the 
base and there are numerous irregular, white edged, brownish- 
black spots between the veins, two confluent spots above the dor- 
sum being much larger than the others; there are five or six 
conspicuous, pale golden-ochreous spots near the middle of the 
wing, each usually placed in the centre of a brownish-black spot. 
The hind-wings are rich brown rather sparsely scaled; the cilia 
of all the wings are dark brown barred with blackish and irre- 
gularly tipped with ochreous. The antennae are dull red and 
strongly bipectinated throughout. 
The female is unknown. 
The perfect insect appears towards the end of March 
and evidently inhabits open mountain country about 2,500 
feet above the sea-level. It is attracted by light. 
Described and figured from the unique specimen 
kindly lent to me by Mr. Oliver. 
PORINA DINODES. 
(Porina dinodes, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xxii., 206.) 
(Plate XLII., fig. 6 @, 7 9; Plate III. fig. 24 larva.) 
This large and distinectly-marked species was discoy- 
ered at Invercargill by Captain Hutton. It has also 
occurred at Dunedin, Orepuki and Stewart Island. 
The expansion of the wings of the male is about 24 inches; 
of the female nearly 3, inches. The fore-wings of the male are 
dark-brown; there is a white mark at the extreme base; several 
confused white markings enclosing small brown spots beyond 
this; an oblique: series of double crescentic marks from the apex 
to the dorswm near the base; several similar markings near the 
costa and a very faint series near the termen; the middle of 
the wing is almost clear of markings. The hind-wings are 
brownish-ochveous, darker near the apex. The cilia of all the 
wings are whitish barred with dark brown. The antennde of 
the male are heavily bipectinated from buse to apex. The female 
has the fore-wings dull brown with very obscure paler markings 
between the veins. The hind-wings are dull brown tinged with 
ochreous. The antennae are stout, with very short thick pec- 
tinations on each side. 
There is slight variation in the details of the white 
markings on the fore-wings of the male. 
The larva, which was discovered by Mr. Philpott, is 
subterranean, feeding on the roots of grasses. It imhabits 
tunnels lined with silk, and driven, in rather an oblique 
direction, to a depth of from 15 to 20 inehes. The length 
of the full-grown larva is nearly four inches; it is moder- 
ately stout, cylindrical, with the segmental divisions very 
inuch wrinkled; the head is dark reddish-brown with its 
surface rugose; the second segment is short, horny, pale 
reddish-brown; the third segment partly horny and pale 
reddish-brown in patches; the rest of the body is soft, 
