Art. XIX.—Description of two new Species of Heteropterous Lepidoptera.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 15, 1882, Page 195

Art. XIX.—Description of two new Species of Heteropterous Lepidoptera. By R. W. Fereday, M.E.S.L. [Read before the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, 30th November, 1882.] Fam. LeucanidÆ, Guénéé. Genus Leucania, Ochs. Leucania purdii, n. sp. Male.—Head and thorax dark pinkish-ochreous-yellow, darkest in front; abdomen paler and greyish at base. Primaries above dark pinkish cedar colour, a dash of ochreous-yellow occupying the areolet between the submedian nervure and the third median nervule, the dash being very bright at the base and fading towards the pos-

terior angle; a dash of the same colour commencing broadly in the middle of the discoidal cell, extending along the areolet between the first discoidal and lower subcostal nervules, and narrowing towards and vanishing near the exterior margin; a similar dash extending along two-thirds of the costa from the base of the wing; cilia, basal half ochreous-yellow, exterior whitish-ochreous. Primaries below greyish-ochreous with a pinkish tinge, costal part more ochreous, exterior area more grey; cilia as above. Secondaries above dark fuscous, paler at the base; cilia same as of primaries. Secondaries below greyish-ochreous, the exterior third more greyish, preceded by a darker greyish transverse narrow band running parallel with the exterior margin; discocellular spot greyish rather indistinct; cilia as above. Length of body, 10′″; expanse of wings, 1″ 10′″. Hab. Near Dunedin. A single specimen taken by Mr. Alex. Purdie, of Fairfield, near Dunedin, from the roots of grass in an open field. Leucania blenheimensis, n. sp. Female.—Head, thorax, and abdomen very pale fawn nearly cream-colour. Primaries above same colour, sericeous; a subterminal row of small blackish points, one on each nervule; the inner line indicated by a small blackish point on each of the subcostal, median and submedian nervures; all the nervures and nervules speckled with dark grey and white, especially near the junction of the subcostal and median nervures with their branches; cilia dark-grey, outer edge paler, whitish at points of nervules. Primaries below very pale whitish-brown irrorated with greyish-brown; central area and cilia darker. Secondaries above grey, with paler cilia. Secondaries below very pale whitish-brown irrorated with pale greyish-brown; cilia same colour. Expanse of wings, 1″ 7″′. Hab. Blenheim in the Marlborough Provincial District, and Meanee near Napier. This insect was presented to me by Mr. William Skellon, then residing at Meanee, but now at Timaru. He informed me that he took it at Meanee at sugar, that he had taken two specimens there, and two at Blenheim, and that the Blenheim specimens were smaller than the Meanee. At his suggestion I have named this species blenheimensis.