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ing the day-time where it is extremely inconspicuous, and 
ean only be discovered by very careful searching. It is 
most probable that niany of the larger ‘‘vegetable cater- 
pillars,’’ which are dug up in forests, are referable to this 
insect. 
PORINA CHARACTERIFERA. 
(Hepialus chardcterifer, Walk., Suppl. 594. Oxycanus impletus, 
ib. 598. Porina characterifera, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. 
xxii. 208.) 
(Plates Cus stiee ae iuecle) 
This very handsome and conspicuous species is prin- 
cipally confined to the North Island, where it has occurred 
at Auckland, Mount Egmont, Stratford, Kaitoke and 
Wellington. In the South Island it has been found at 
Picton and on the Dun Mountain and Gouland Downs in 
the Nelson district. 
The expansion of the wings of the male is slightly under 
9 
3 inches; of the female nearly 34 inches. The fore-wings ure 
bright brownish-yellow, very densely and finely streaked and 
mottled with very dark purplish-brown,; there is aw doubly-curved 
black mark a little above the middle of the dorsum. The hind- 
wings are very dark purplish-brown with a terminal series of 
yellow ring-like markings; the cilia are yellow barred with 
brown. The female is much paler in colour than the male, with 
the dark brown mottling of the fore-wings even more elaborate, 
and forming a pattern of extreme beauty and complexity; there 
are series of pale terminal and subterminal spots with brown 
centres which are not evident in the male. 
The perfect insect appears in October, November and 
December. It seems to chiefly frequent beech forests on 
mountain sides, at elevations between 1,000 and 2,000 feet 
above the sea-level, but is usually very rare. As a rule it 
is only taken singly but Mr. Watt informs me that he met 
with it in some numbers on the lower slopes of Mount 
Kegmont and Mr. Grimmett found it in profusion on the 
Gouland Downs. The colouring of the fore-wings is highly 
protective when the insect is resting with closed wings on 
moss-covered tree-trunks. 
PORINA CERVINATA. 
(Elhamma cervinata, Walk., Suppl. 595. Porina vexuta, ib. 597. 
Pielus variolaris, Gn., Ent. Mo. Mag. vy. 1. Porina fuli- 
ginea, Butl., Cist. Ent. ii. 488. Porina cervinata, Meyr., 
Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxii., 208.) 
(Plate XLIII., figs. -5, 6 @ varieties; 7 9. 
Frontispiece fig. 26 egg.) 
This very variable species seems to be fairly common 
and generally distributed throughout the North Island, 
and is abundant in the Wellington District. In the South 
Island it occurs as far south as Dunedin and Alexandra, 
but it is here largely replaced by the very closely allied 
P. despecta, and in the extreme south by P. jocosa, and 
P. copularis. 
The expansion of the wings of the male ranges from 14 to 
1% inches; of the female rarely as much as 24 inches. All the 
wings vary from pale brownish-black to dull yellowish-brown 
with numerous intermediate forms; the fore-wings have several 
small blackish-margined white spots near the base; an indefinite 

HEPIALIDAE, 

blackish central streak ‘usually containing two or three irregular 
white spots; there is often a pale wavy transverse line beyond 
the middle, containing several darker spots and a series of ter- 
minal and subterminal spots; the cilia are barred with dark 
brown. 
This species is extremely variable in size, colour and 
markines. It is stated to be shorter winged than P. des- 
pecta but is otherwise very similar. 
~The egg is oval, approaching the hemispherical, yel- 
lowish-white when first deposited, but usually becoming jet 
black shortly afterwards. It is highly polished and desti- 
tute of sculpture. 
The larva is subterranean in habit, feeding on the 
roots of grasses during the late summer, autumn and win- 
ter. In its habits and general appearance it closely resem- 
bles the larva of P. wmbraculata. 
The perfect insect is found early in September and 
lasts well on into November, being one of the first of the 
genus to appear in early spring. It is attracted by light, 
the males very much more freely than the females. This 
species usually frequents gardens and fields and has prob- 
ably inereased in numbers through the spread of Huropean 
eTasses, 
PORINA DESPECTA. 
(Hepialus despectus, Walk., Suppl. 594. Porina despecta, Meyr., 
Trans, N.Z. Inst. xxii., 209.) 
(Plate XLIII., fig. 8 @; 9-11 9 varieties.) 
This species, which very closely resembles Porima cer- 
vinata, has occurred at Christchurch, the Otira River, 
Dunedin, and Lake Wakatipu. 
The expansion of the wings of the male is slightly over 1% 
inches; of the female about 2 inches. It is stated to be dis- 
tinguished from VP. cervinata by its longer and narrower wings, 
smaller body and antennae and absence of distinct markings 
near the termen. Nearly all the specimens in collections which 
are relegated to this species are females, and this may perhaps 
indicate that the male is often identified as P’ cervinata. In any 
case the males in the Hepidlidae are generally more often taken 
than the females. 
In its general habits and life-history this species is prob- 
ably identical with P. cervinata. 
The perfect insect appears from November till Febru- 
ary, and is usually taken at light. 
PORINA MIMICA. 
(Porina mimica, Philp., Trans, N.Z. Inst., liv., 153.) 
(Plate me xuniiVin eleven omyae) 
This rather obscure species was discovered by Mr. 
Philpott at Invercargill. 
The expansion of the wings of the male is 13 inches. It 
may be distinguished from any of the numerous varieties of 
Porina cervinata and P. despecta by its much slenderer build 
and from P. jocosa by its smaller size and absence of the bright 
orange-brown colouring and distinct wavy paler subterminal 
band on the fore-wings, which are characteristic of that species. 
The perfect insect appears in October. 
Deseribed and figured from a specimen kindly given 
to me by Mr. Philpott. 

