The expansion of the wings is 1 inch. All the wings are ochreous with pale brown markings. The fore-wings have a conspicuous dot in the middle, a wavy transverse line a little beyond the middle, another line just before the termen, and a brown shading on the termen broader near the apex of the wing. The hind-wings have a brown central dot and two transverse lines. The cilia of all the wings are brownish.
This species varies considerably in the distinctness of the brown markings, and there is occasionally a transverse line near the base of the fore-wings.
The perfect insect appears in February and March, and frequents open country, often at elevations of from 2,000 to 4,000 feet above the sea-level. It is, I think, rather a local species, though abundant where found. I met with it in considerable numbers on the chalk range near Kekerangu in the Marlborough Province.
ASAPHODES SIRIS, Hawth.
(Asaphodes siris, Hawth., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xxix. 283.)
(Plate [VII]., fig. 16.)
This interesting little species was discovered near Wellington by Mr. Hawthorne.
The expansion of the wings is about ⅞ inch. The fore-wings are dull ochreous; there is a small curved brown patch near the base; then a pale band, followed by a very broad brown central band, paler in the middle; there is a very sharp projection on the outer edge of the central band, a conspicuous black dot in the centre of the wing, and a series of minute black dots on the termen. The hind-wings are pale ochreous, with a faint central transverse line.
The perfect insect appears in March.
Described and figured from the type specimen in Mr. Hawthorne's collection.