MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 246, 17 October 1932, Page 3

MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES.

Hints to collectors were given at the Auckland War Memorial Museum yesterday afternoon by Mr. J. B. Nevill, who gave a lecture on "New Zealand Moths and Butterflies." Mr. A. T. Pycroft, member of the Council of the Institute and Museum, presided. The.lecture was one of the series on natural history delivered on Sunday afternoons. Mr. Nevill's remarks were illustrated by several cases of specimens. He explained that New Zealand had only ten species of butterflies but fully 700 different kinds of moths, ranging from the showy large puriri moth to ones that were.very small indeed. Vavious specimens were described, and examples were handed round among the audience. Collectors were advised how to go, about the interesting work of making a collection. By way of contrast with the few and comparatively small butterflies that are to be found in New Zealand, there was on view a case of bird-butterflies collected by Mr. Pycroft during his recent visit to the Solomon Islands. These tropical specimens were remarkable for their brilliant hues, and for their size, some of them measuring eight inches across the wings.