Notes and Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 58, 1928, Page 359

Notes and Descriptions of New Zealand Lepidoptera. By Alfred Philpott, Hon. Research Student in Lepidoptera, Cawthron Institute, Nelson. [Read before the Nelson Philosophical Society, 28th September, 1927; received by Editor, 2nd October, 1927; issued separately, 14th February, 1928.] Noctuidae. Aletia mitis (Butl.), Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1877, p. 383, pl. 42, 5. This species seems to have been unrecognised by New Zealand collectors since Butler's description half a century ago. In the absence of specimens it has been variously regarded as a synonym of cucillina Guen. or moderata Walk., but to the writer there seems to be now no doubt that Butler's insect is a valid species. Dr. A. Jefferis Turner, of Queensland, during a recent visit to New Zealand took a fine specimen at Arthurs Pass on 15th February. This example Doctor Turner kindly presented to the Cawthron Institute. Butler's figure is an excellent one and his description agrees well with the specimen under notice. The chief characteristics of the species are its silvery grey colour and the narrow median dark band of the forewings. Evidently the species is rare, but as Dr. Turner's capture was in perfect condition it is probable that it may be an autumn subalpine form and on the wing at a date when collectors are not usually in its haunts. Dasypodia cymatodes Guen. In the New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology, vol 7, p. 367, Miss A. Castle records this well known Australian species as taken at Whangamarino and Whangarei. In January 1927, Mr. D. D. Milligan sent the writer two examples from Leigh, North Auckland, and in February Mr. C. Stalker secured a fine specimen at Nelson. As the insect is a large one (only slightly smaller than D. selenophora) it is unlikely that it would remain unnoticed for any considerable period; the species is therefore in all probability a quite recent introduction from Australia. Geometridae. Dasyuris austrina n. sp. ♂. 30 mm. Head white densely mixed with black. Palpi ochreous-white mixed with black. Antennae greyish-black. Thorax and abdomen black mixed with whitish. Legs ochreous, strongly infuscated, tarsi annulated with ochreous. Forewings strongly arched at base, apex obtuse, termen slightly rounded, oblique; greyish-fuscous, densely irrorated with bluish-white on basal ⅔; an indistinct irregular basal line; first line at ⅓, irregularly dentate, fuscous; a round fuscous discal spot; second line at ⅔, fairly broad, fuscous, indented above and below middle, posteriorly margined with whitish; an obscure thin irregular subterminal white line: fringes white barred with fuscous and with a fuscous basal line. Hindwings coloured as forewings, all lines except basal present, but straighter than in fore-

wings: fringes whitish mixed with fuscous, clear white round apex. Undersides ochreous-white with four thin lines and narrow terminal margin black. Resembles the much larger D. hectori Walk, but paler in colour and with the undersides very different. Bold Peak, in January. I have a female of what is probably the same species from The Hump, Southland, but as the specimen differs in some details and the localities are far apart, I have not included it among the type material. Holotype and slide of type genitalia in coll. A. Philpott. Lythria regilla n. sp. ♂ ♀. 24–28 mm. Head and thorax bright yellow mixed with black, round eye whitish. Palpi yellow, terminal segment mixed with black and white. Antennae blackish-fuscous, in female mixed with yellow, pectinations in ♂ 3. Abdomen black mixed with yellow, segmental divisions white. Legs whitish-ochreous mixed with fuscous, tarsi annulated with whitish-ochreous. Forewings triangular, costa straight, apex rounded, termen rounded, more angular in ♀; banded alternately with orange-yellow and black; a small basal area orange-yellow with some white and black scales; an almost straight narrow black fascia; a narrow orange-yellow fascia, usually whitish on lower part; a rather broader and more irregular black fascia, usually dilated on dorsum; a similar fascia of orange-yellow, white on dorsum but without dilation; a rather irregular black fascia, its upper half divided and the division filled with orange-yellow; an orange-yellow fascia of about equal breadth; a black fascia, sharply elbowed above middle and thence sinuate to dorsum, followed by a similar orange-yellow fascia; area between this and termen black, but including a subterminal dentate orange-yellow line freqwuently broken up into a chain of spots, the central spot being always more or less dash-like in shape and sometimes connected with the preceding yellow fascia: fringes black, outer half barred with yellowish-white. Hindwings orange-yellow; markings black; a thin nearly straight fascia at ¼; a more prominent angled fascia at ½; a broad interrupted irregular fascia at ¾; termen broadly black with a tendency to dentation of the inner margin; fringes as in forewings. Undersides bright yellow with the black fasciae of the upper surfaces imperfectly reproduced. A very striking species, frequently confused with the less handsome L. perornata Walk. Dun Mountain, Mount Starveall, Cobb Valley, Mount Arthur Tableland and Mount Cedric, from December to February. Not very common but probably to be found in all subalpine localities in the Nelson Province. Holotype (♂), allotype (♀) and a series of paratypes in coll. Cawthron Institute. Selidosemidae. Selidosema flava (Warr.), Nov. Zool., 3, 406. As far as I am aware, this species has not been recognized or referred to by any New Zealand entomologist since its description

about fifty years ago, but in January of this year (1927) Mr. E. S. Gourlay captured two males at Murchison, West Coast. These he kindly presented to the Cawthron Institute. As Novitates Zoologicae is not readily accessible to New Zealand workers I extract the description. “Forewings pale yellow, the costa and inner margin speckled with fuscous; a brown hour-glass-shaped blotch on middle of costa extending to a little below the middle; a blotch on costa before apex, with a smaller one below it, and another on hindmargin below apex; a line of fuscous dashes along hindmargin between the veins; fringe yellow. Hindwings wholly yellow. Undersides dull yellow, the fore-wings suffused with brownish. Face and palpi yellowish, tinged with fuscous; antennae brown; thorax and abdomen yellow. Expanse of wings, 38 mm. “One male from Greymouth, New Zealand.” For a copy of the above description I am much indebted to Mr. A. J. Nicholson, Lecturer in Entomology at the University of Sydney. S. melinata Feld., Reis Nov., pl. 129, 9. A female of this species agreeing well with Felder's figure was taken at Nelson on 15th February, 1926, by Mr. W. Heighway. A comparison of this example with indistincta Butl. bears out Prout's conclusion as expressed in Trans. N.Z. Inst., 58, 79. Phycitidae. Ephestia elutella Hb. A specimen of this well known semidomestic species was taken by Dr. A. J. Turner in Christchurch. Its range covers practically the Northern Hemisphere, and as it feeds on various articles of human consumption, such as biscuits, figs, etc., its introduction to this country was sooner or later to be expected, more especially as it had already gained a footing in Australia. Crambidae. Tauroscopa howesi n. sp. ♂ 23 mm. Head and palpi black mixed with tawny. Antennae black mixed with whitish, clothed with ochreous pubescence. Thorax and abdomen black. Legs black mixed with ochreous. Fore-wings short, costa moderately arched at base, apex rounded, termen evenly rounded, oblique; fuscous-black with a few brown scales; lines white; first line rather broad, irregularly dentate, evenly curved from ½ costa to two-fifths dorsum; second line less distinct, indented beneath costa, thence sinuate to tornus; fringes fuscous-grey mixed with white; a thin dark subbasal line. Hindwings fuscous: fringes as in forewings. Nearest T. gorgopis Meyr. but the second line is altogether different. Obelisk Range, Central Otago, in February. A single male taken by Mr. G. Howes when on a collecting trip with the late Augustus Hamilton in 1912. Holotype in coll. A. Philpott.

Pyraustidae. Scoparia legionaria n. sp. ♂ ♀. 27–33 mm. Head, palpi and thorax white mixed with fuseous. Antennae brown, minutely ciliated. Abdomen ochreous-white. Legs whitish mixed with fuscous, anterior pair mostly fuscous, tarsi narrowly annulated with whitish. Forewings elongate, costa slightly arched, apex obtuse, termen almost straight, little oblique; white, densely irrorated with fuscous; a small blackish spot on costa at base, margined beneath with white; first line from costa at ¼ to dorsum at ⅓, white, posteriorly suffusedly margined with fuscous, often very obscure; orbicular oval, white, ringed with fuscous; claviform dot-like, fuscous, obliquely beyond orbicular, frequently absent; reniform incomplete, indicated by some fuscous marks, interior usually more or less ochreous; second line dentate, deeply indented beneath costa, white, anteriorly margined with fuscous; subterminal line an obscure whitish shade; a terminal series of black spots: fringes white, basally barred with fuscous and with a subapical fuscous line. Hindwings and fringes ochreous-whitish. Approaching S. petrina Meyr., but a larger and less distinctly marked insect. The female is smaller and lighter in colour than the male. Mount Arthur Tableland and Gordon's Pyramid at about 4,000 feet. Common in February. Holotype (♂), allotype (♀) and a series of paratypes in coll. Cawthron Institute. Scoparia turneri n. sp. ♂ 18–21 mm. Head brown mixed with white. Palpi rather long, internally and beneath white. Antennae brown, serrulate, ciliations in ♂ ½. Thorax brown. Abdomen ochrcous-grey. Legs brown, posterior pair greyish with tarsi faintly annulated with white. Forewings long, very narrow at base, evenly widened to termen, costa straight, apex round-pointed, termen slightly sinuate, very oblique; brown, irrorated with fuscous and white; first line curved, very indistinct, white, obscurely and suffusedly margined posteriorly with brown; orbicular and claviform dot-like or obsolete: reniform an irregular whitish mark incompletely margined with fuscous; second line prominent, almost straight, parallel to termen; white; subterminal line broad, suffused, obscure, white; a terminal scries of black dots: fringes greyish-brown with dark basal line. Hindwings and fringes ochreous-grey. The wing contour is similar to that of S. exilis Knaggs. The straight oblique second line is a good distinguishing character. Arthur's Pass, in February. Four males taken by Dr. A. J. Turner who very kindly presented the specimens, together with several other novelties, to the Cawthron Institute. Holotype (♂) and three paratypes in coll. Cawthron Institute. Scoparia parca n. sp. ♂ ♀. 19–24. Head and palpi fuscous mixed with white. Thorax dark purplish-fuscous. Antennae brown, minutely ciliated. Abdomen greyish-fuscous. Legs ochreous-whitish, more or less infuscated, pos-

terior pair ochreous-white with dark fuscous spurs. Forewings moderate, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, termen slightly sinuate, oblique; greyish-fuscous; sometimes darker between first and second lines; first line very obscure or absent, posteriorly dark margined, evenly curved; orbicular and claviform included in dark margining of first line; reniform an indistinct blotch, blackish with clear white spot in lower part; second line very obscure, thin, whitish, indented beneath costa, thence strongly incurved and reaching dorsum at ⅔; veins obscurely and interruptedly outlined in black; a subterminal series of black spots: fringes ochreous-whitish with basal and median fuscous lines. Hindwings and fringes pale whitish-grey. An obscure species, but not close to any other. Mount Grey and Hoon Hay, in November. Two males and one female taken by Messrs. S. Lindsay and W. Heighway. Holotype (♂) in coll. Cawthron Institute, allotype (♀) and one paratype in coll. S. Lindsay. Scoparia pallidula n. sp. ♂ ♀. 18 mm. Head and palpi brown mixed with white. Antennae brown, minutely ciliated. Abdomen brownish-ochreous. Legs brown mixed with ochreous-white, tarsi annulated with white. Forewings moderate, costa slightly arched, apex obtuse, termen straight, rounded beneath, oblique; white, densely irrorated with pale brownish; veins obscurely and interruptedly outlined with blackish; lines and stigmata (except reniform) obsolete; reniform obscurely X-shaped, lower fork filled with white; a terminal series of black spots; fringes grey with obscure dark basal shade. Hindwings and fringes grey with slight ochreous tinge. Somewhat resembling S. deltophora Meyr., but a smaller species and with greyer forewings. Mount Grey, in December and January. A good series taken by Messrs. Lindsay and Heighway in the years 1921 and 1924. Holotype (♂) in coll. Cawthron Institute; allotype (♀) and a good series of paratypes in coll. S. Lindsay. Tortricidae. Eurythecta fraudulenta n. sp. ♂. 11–14 mm. Head and palpi dark brown mixed with ferruginous or red. Antennae brown mixed with grey, ciliations over one. Thorax dark brown, sometimes mixed with reddish. Abdomen and legs dark brown. Forewings, costa strongly arched at base, apex rectangular, termen moderately rounded, slightly oblique; dark slaty brown strigulated throughout with ferruginous or red; fringes slate colour, basal half reddish. Hindwings greyish-fuscous: fringes greyish-fuscous with dark basal line. ♀. Head and thorax brown, ochreous or ferruginous. Forewings usually brown mixed with yellow, ferruginous or reddish; margin of basal patch very oblique, reaching dorsum at about ½; a broad, fairly even paler fascia following basal patch, usually lead-coloured, sometimes whitish, frequently obscure; a short white outwardly oblique fascia from costa at 3/5, frequently bent at middle and

continued in lead-colour to before tornus, sometimes forming part of a subtriangular patch on costa before apex: fringes a mixture of the wing colours. Hindwings fuscous: fringes fuscous with dark basal line, round apex ochreous-whitish. Superficially very similar to Epichorista emphhanes Meyr. The female is extremely variable, one example having the first and second fasciae united and forming a broad white band across the wing. Gordon's Pyramid and Mount Arthur Tableland, in February and March. A good series taken at about 4,000 feet. Holotype (♂), allotype (♀) and a series of paratypes in coll. Cawthron Institute. Gelechiidae. Anisoplaca fraxinea n. sp. ♂ ♀. 19–21 mm. Head and thorax ochreous-white mixed with drab, sides of face black. Palpi ochreous-white, basal ⅔ of second segment black, basal and median fuscous rings on terminal segment. Antennae ochreous-white mixed with fuscous, in male serrulate, ciliations ½. Abdomen whitish-ochreous mixed with fuscous. Legs ochreous, strongly infuscated, tarsi annulated with ochreous. Forewings elongate, costa moderately arched, apex round-pointed, termen rounded, oblique; whitish-ochreous densely irrorated with brownish-ochreous and strigulated with fuscous; costa with black spot at base; costal edge dotted with blackish-fuscous throughout; first discal a blackish dot ringed with whitish; other stigmata obscure or absent; termen margined with blackish-fuscous: fringes ochreous with median fuscous line. Hindwings fuscous-grey: fringes ochreous with obscure dark basal shade. Superficially nearest to A. achyrota Meyr. Nelson and Flora River, in March. Dr. Turner has also taken it at Arthurs Pass in February. Holotype (♂), allotype (♀), slide of male genitalia and paratypes in coll. Cawthron Institute. Lecithocera micromela Low. Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aus., 21, 55. Of this Australian species Dr. Turner took examples at Rotorua. These he has presented to the Cawthron Institute, together with Australian specimens of the same insect. Having regard to the central position of the locality it does not seem probable that the species is an accidental introduction to New Zealand. The insect is not a striking one, being only about 12 mm. in expanse of wing. The head, thorax and forewings are sooty black, the antennae and palpi ochreous and the hindwings fuscous. Stomopteryx columbina n. sp. This species is described, under the name S. simplicella (Walk.) in Trans. N.Z. Inst., 55, 666.* I take this opportunity of correcting an error in the legend of the figures at the above reference. By a transposition of drawings the genitalia of Gelechia neglecta Philp. are represented as those of Stomopteryx simplicetta Walk. Having, through the kindness of Dr. A. J. Turner, received Australian specimens of Walker's species I

have been able to compare the male genitalia of the two forms, and I here give figures of the harpes, which are of quite definite distinctness. Apart, however, from the structural characters there appears to be a colour character of some value in separating the two forms, the white mark on the forewings at ¾ being reduced to a mere spot in columbina while it often forms an almost complete fascia in simplicella. Fig. 1.—Stomopteryx simplicella Walk. Harpe, inner view. Fig. 2.—S. columbina n. sp. Harpe, inner view. Oecophoridae. Borkhausenia decora n. sp. ♂. 9–11 mm. Head, palpi, thorax and abdomen purplish-black. Antennae purplish-black, ciliations ¾. Legs purplish-fuscous, tarsi annulated with ochreous. Forewings, costa slightly arched, apex broadly rounded, termen rounded, strongly oblique; bright yellow to orange; markings shining silvery; an outwardly oblique fascia from 1/6, broadly margined with black, reaching beyond fold; an almost straight fascia from middle of costa to before dorsum; a triangular fascia from costa at ¾ reaching half across wing; a narrow subterminal fascia parallel to termen; the last three fasciae with a few black scales on margins: fringes dark fuscous, base orange. Hindwings dark fuscous: fringes dark fuscous with darker basal line. Near B. compsogramma Meyr. and B. chrysogramma Meyr., but in both of these species the first fascia reaches the dorsum. Lake Rotoroa, in February. Three males secured. Holotype and paratypes in coll. Cawthron Institute. Borkhausenia latens n. sp. ♂. 11 mm. Head and thorax greyish-ochreous mixed with fuscous. Papi ochreous-white, base, subapical ring on second segment and a subbasal ring on terminal segment, fuscous. Antennae fuscous mixed with ochreous, minutely ciliated. Abdomen whitish-ochreous, mixed with fuscous except on basal segments. Legs whitish-ochreous, anterior tibiae and tarsi broadly banded with fuscous. Forewings, costa moderately arched, apex broadly rounded, termen rounded, oblique; whitish-ochreous with scattered brown scales; markings fuscous-blackish, suffused; a thick oblique fascia from costa at base to fold, where it includes plical spot; first discal spot obliquely above plical; a broadly suffused irregular fascia from costa at ½ to tornus; a short fascia from costa at ¾: fringes whitish-ochreous mixed with fuscous. Hindwings shining greyish-white: fringes whitish-ochreous. Resembling the larger species B. plagiatella Walk, in some respects, but there are many differences of markings.

Rotorua, in February. A single male taken by Dr. A. J. Turner. Holotype in coll. Cawthron Institute. Borkhausenia clarkei n. sp. ♂. 15–16 mm. Head and antennae greyish-fuscous, ciliations in ♂ ¾. Palpi fuscous, second segment mixed with white within. Abdomen fuscous-grey. Legs, anterior pair fuscous, middle pair fuscous with tibiae and tarsi banded with whitish, posterior pair fuscous-grey. Forewings moderate, costa well arched, apex rounded, termen rounded, oblique; white, irrorated with dark fuscous; stigmata blackish; plical large, obliquely before first discal, coalescing with dark patch on dorsum; irroration tending to form blotches on costa at base, ⅓, ½ and ⅓; apical blotch sending an obscure line to tornus, where it forms a tornal blotch: fringes whitish-grey mixed with fuscous. Hindwings and fringes fuscous-grey. Nearest B. seclusa Philp., but with more contrasted colouring. Waikaraka Valley and Kauri Gully, Auckland, in January. Discovered by Mr. C. E. Clarke, who has asked me to describe the species. A male from each locality. Holotype in coll. C. E. Clarke and paratype in coll. Cawthron Institute. Gymnobathra primaria n. sp. ♂. 19–21 mm. Head ochreous. Palpi and thorax ochreous mixed with fuscous. Antennae ochreous mixed with fuscous, finely serrulate, ciliations 1. Abdomen brassy, anal tuft ochreous. Legs whitish-ochreous, more or less infuscated, anterior pairs almost wholly fuscous. Forewings, costa well arched, apex obtuse, termen rounded, oblique; greyish-ochreous sprinkled with fuscous-black; markings fuscous-black; a small spot on base of costa continued for a short distance along costal edge; first discal spot fairly large; plical obliquely beyond first discal, small; second discal as large as first discal, usually slightly elongated in direction of tornus; five or six spots on costa between ½ and apex: fringes greyish-ochreous with obscure subbasal fuscous line. Hindwings whitish-grey, infuscated round termen and dorsum: fringes ochreous-grey with dark basal line. This and the two following species are superficially very much alike. The present species is the largest of the three. The males can be easily separated by the characters of the genitalia which can usually be made out without dissection. Mount Arthur Tableland (4,500 feet), Flora River (3,000 feet), and Aniseed Valley, in December and February. Four males. Holotype and paratypes in coll. Cawthron Institute. Gymnobathra levigata n. sp. ♂ ♀. 14–17 mm. Head and thorax ochreous. Palpi ochreous mixed with fuscous, second segment not much thickened with scales and tapering smoothly into terminal segment. Antennae ochreous annulated with fuscous, ciliations about 1. Abdomen brassy, segmental divisions whitish. Legs whitish-ochreous mixed with fuscous. Forewings, costa moderately arched, apex pointed, termen slightly rounded, oblique; pale ochreous-white, thickly irrorated with ochreous and sprinkled with fuscous; female more brownish; stigmata fuscous-

black, often obscure; first discal round, obliquely before plical which is usually smaller, but sometimes larger, than first discal; second discal largest, usually curved, sometimes double; a minute spot on costa at ⅔, not always present: fringes ochreous-whitish with dark subbasal shade. Hindwings shining white, slightly ochreous towards apex. Easily distinguished from its allies by the form of the labial palpi. Dun Mountain and Mount Arthur Tableland, in November and December. Fairly common at elevations of from 3,000 to 4,500 feet. Holotype (♂), allotype (♀) and several paratypes in coll. Cawthron Institute. Fig. 3.—Gymnobathra inaequata n. sp. Harpe, inner view. Fig. 4.—G. primaria n. sp. Harpe, inner view. Fig. 5.—G. levigata n. sp. Harpe, inner view. Fig. 6.—G. calliploca Meyr. Harpe, inner view. Gymnobathra inaequata n. sp. ♂ ♀. 17–19. Head and thorax pale ochreous, base of tegulae fuscous. Palpi, second segment thickened with appressed scales, apex broad and truncate, ochreous; second segment outwardly fuscous. Antennae ochreous, ciliations in ♂ about 1. Abdomen brassy, segmental divisions whitish, anal tuft ochreous. Legs ochreous, densely irrorated with fuscous, especially anterior pairs. Forewings, costa moderately arched, apex blunt-pointed, termen rounded, oblique; whitish-ochreous (in ♀ browner) sprinkled with blackish-fuscous; markings blackish-fuscous; a small area at costa at base; first discal rather irregular, obliquely before plical which is roundish and as large as, or larger than, first discal; second discal smaller, dot-like or transversely linear; four or five dots on costa between ½ and apex, apical ones usually very obscure: fringes whitish-ochreous with some fuscous scales. Hindwings shining whitish: fringes ochreous tinged. Superficially extremely like the preceding species, but easily separated by the difference in the palpi. In Trans. N.Z. Inst., 57, 719, I have figured the male genitalia of this species as those of B. calliploca and in order to avoid confusion I here supply figures of the four allied species.

Dun Mountain, Flora River and Cobb Valley, in November and December. As at present known, this species seems to occur at lower altitudes than B. levigata, 3,000 feet being the highest elevation recorded. Holotype (♂), allotype (♀) and a series of paratypes in coll. Cawthron Institute. Trachypepla metallifera n. sp. ♂. 11–13 mm. Head fuscous mixed with ferruginous. Antennae fuscous annulated with yellow, ciliations in ♂ 2½. Palpi dark fuscous mixed with yellow. Thorax fuscous mixed with ferruginous and yellow. Abdomen dark bronzy-fuscous. Legs fuscous, tarsi annulated with ochreous. Forewings, costa slightly arched, apex round-pointed, termen rounded, oblique; ferruginous mixed with yellow and with some fuscous on basal half; scale tufts more or less blackish; a rather broad silvery-white median fascia, outwardly oblique from costa; a pale yellowish patch at apex, from which issues a thin terminal line: fringes ferruginous-yellow with fuscous tips. Hindwings and fringes dark bronzy fuscous. Waimarino and Raurimu, in January. Two males secured by Mr. C. E. Clarke. What appears to be the same species, though less bright in colour, has been taken in the South Island by the late Mr. C. C. Fenwick at Eglinton Valley, and by the writer at Wairaurahiri and Gouland Downs, Nelson. Holotype (♂) in coll. C. E. Clarke and paratype in coll. Cawthron Institute. Proteodes varia n. sp. ♂. 19–20 mm. Head and palpi whitish mixed with fuscous. Antennae greyish-fuscous. Thorax fuscous mixed with grey and whitish. Abdomen grey. Legs whitish, all tibiae and tarsi strongly infuscated and annulated with ochreous-white. Forewings, costa strongly arched, apex rectangular, termen almost straight, rounded beneath, not oblique; white, densely irrorated with grey and strigulated with fuscous, the strigulations tending to form chains of spots; a large more or less round blackish-fuscous spot in disc at ⅓ with an irregular bar of the same colour beneath it on fold; an irregular blackish-fuscous spot in disc at ⅔; between these two spots a whitish suffusion: an obscure series of blackish marks round termen: fringes grey with dark subbasal line. Hindwings and fringes pale grey. Near P. melographa Meyr. but differing in several details. One specimen has the discal spot reddish. Nelson, in February, March and April. Four males. Holotype and paratypes in coll. Cawthron Institute. Euprionocera (?) notabilis n. sp. ♀. 34–37. mm. Head whitish-ochreous mixed with brown. Palpi long, curved, second segment thickened with appressed scales, terminal thin, acute, whitish-ochreous mixed with ochreous. Antennae whitish-ochreous mixed with brownish. Thorax whitish-ochreous with an obscure brown median stripe and a pair of more prominent brown lateral stripes. Abdomen ochreous-white. Legs ochreous-white, anterior tarsi broadly banded with brown. Forewings long, narrow, costa moderately arched at base, apex acute, termen sinuate, oblique;

whitish-ochreous; markings brown; a fairly broad but indistinct median stripe from base to apex; a very obscure narrow streak along dorsum to near tornus; first discal spot minute; plical spot obsolete; second discal large, round; subterminal and terminal series of hardly perceptible dots: fringes ochreous-white. Hindwings and fringes shining ochreous-white. This fine insect is only provisionally placed in Euprionocera; it does not agree in all points with that genus, bue in the absence of the male it is inadvisable to erect a new genus at this juncture. Flora River, in February and March. Two females secured after dark at about 3,000 feet. Holotype and paratype in coll. Cawthron Institute. Glyphipterygidae. Heliostibes gregalis n. sp. ♀. 14–16 mm. Head and thorax snuff-brown, face ochreous. Palpi ochreous, terminal segment dark fuscous. Antennae dark fuscous mixed with brown. Abdomen dark fuscous, copper tinged, segmental divisions ochreous. Legs ochreous mixed with purplish-fuscous, anterior tibiae and tarsi almost entirely purplish-fuscous. Forewings, costa slightly arched, apex rectangular, termen almost straight, slightly oblique; snuff-brown mixed with white in disc; an obscure rather broad white subterminal line, indented beneath costa: fringes dark fuscous mixed with brown, tips brown. Hindwings blackish-fuscous, paler towards base: fringes greyish-fuscous with dark basal line, round apex ochreous. The almost unicolourous forewings at once distinguish the species from the other members of the genus. Russell, Bay of Islands. Three females bred from larvae feeding gregariously on Leptospermum in the manner of H. atychioides. The material was sent to the Cawthron Institute by Mr. R. Stone Florance as a pest on manuka shrubs and was thought to be the well known H. atychioides; the rearing out of the larvae, however, resulted in the discovery of the new species. Holotype and paratypes in coll. Cawthron Institute. Glyphipteryx similis n. sp. ♂. 12–13 mm. Head, antennae and thorax bronzy brown. Palpi white, with four bands and apex of terminal segment beneath, black, the black turning to bronzy brown above. Abdomen bronzy brown, apex ochreous. Legs bronzy brown, tarsi annulated with whitish. Forewings, costa moderately arched, apex broadly rounded, termen with indentation above middle, oblique; bronzy brown, paler on apical half; a broad white fascia from dorsum near base, narrowed apically and reaching beyond fold; a narrower white fascia from costa before ⅓ reaching to fold; a similar fascia crossing wing a little beyond this, slightly excurved, rather dilated on dorsum, in disc violet-purplish-metallic; a similar but straighter and narrower fascia following this; three short fasciae between this and apex, white on costa, violet-purplish-metallic beneath, the second reaching indentation on termen; a black apical spot; a black blotch along lower half of termen containing five (sometimes, by coalescence, a smaller number) golden-violet-metallic spots; above this blotch two or three blackish lines:

fringes whitish, basally broadly fuscous except at indentation. Hindwings and fringes greyish-fuscous. Superficially like a pale G. zomeuta Meyr., but with narrower wings than that species. Mount Arthur Tableland and Gordon's Pyramid, January to March. Eight males taken at about 4,500 feet. Holotype and paratypes in coll. Cawthron Institute. Coleophoridae. Bactrachedra litterata n. sp. ♀. 10–11 mm. Head and thorax whitish-ochreous. Palpi whitish-ochreous, marked with brown outwardly. Antennae ochreous annulated with brown. Legs whitish-ochreous, anterior pair infuscated, tarsi faintly annulated with paler. Forewings whitish-ochreous, darker apically, round apex black: fringes greyish-fuscous, round apex ochreous. Hindwings greyish-fuscous. The black apex of forewings is a sufficient distinguishing character. Greymouth, in February. Dr. A. J. Turner secured two females and a damaged male. Holotype (♀) and paratype in coll. Cawthron Institute. Tineidae. Tinea dividua n. sp. ♂. 17–18 mm. Head ochreous. Palpi ochreous mixed with fuscous. Antennae fuscous mixed with ochreous, ciliations 1. Thorax and abdomen dark fuscous mixed with ochreous. Legs dark fuscous mixed with ochreous, tarsi narrowly annulated with ochreous. Forewings, costa moderately arched, apex pointed, termen almost straight, strongly oblique; bright brown with scattered whitish and fuscous scales; costal margin on apical half more or less whitish; a broad stripe of whitish along dorsum to tornus where it is ochreous tinged; upper margin of this stripe interrupted at middle by a blackish-brown spot: fringes brown mixed with ochreous. Hindwings dark purplish-fuscous: fringes fuscous. The pale dorsal area with the included dark spot is a good specific character. Flora River and Gordons Pyramid, in January. Two males Holotype, paratype and slide of type genitalia in coll. Cawthron Institute. Mallobathra obscura n. sp. ♀. 11–14 mm. Head, palpi and thorax dark brown. Antennae dark brown, ciliations in ♂ 3. Legs brown. Forewings, costa moderately arched, apex rounded, termen rounded, oblique; rather bright brown closely strigulated with dark fuscous: fringes brown, tips greyish. Hindwings and fringes dark purplish-fuscous. Extremely like M. homalopa Meyr. but slightly brighter in colour and proportionately broader-winged. The differences in the male genitalia are definite and sufficient. Southland. Fairly common in October. Holotype and paratypes in coll. A. Philpott.