"Dunedin; ten specimens sent to Mr. Fereday by Capt. Hutton."—(Meyrick.)
I have only seen one specimen of this insect, in Mr. Fereday's collection, and it appeared to me to be identical with the somewhat variable female of A. megaspilata.
Genus 11.—XANTHORHOE, Hb.
"Face with somewhat projecting scales or conical tuft. Antennæ in male bi-pectinated, apex usually simple. Palpi rough-scaled. Fore-wings with areole double. Hind-wings with vein 8 anastomosing with cell to beyond middle."—(Meyrick.) (See Plate [II]., figs. 37 and 38.)
This interesting genus is relatively far more numerous in New Zealand than elsewhere, its place in other regions being largely taken by Hydriomena. We have no less than thirty-one known species, and many others will no doubt be ultimately discovered, especially in the mountainous districts of the west coast of the South Island.
XANTHORHOE LIMONODES, Meyr.
(Epyaxa limonodes, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xx. 54.)
(Plate [VII]., fig. 46 ♂.)
This species has occurred at Wellington and at Cape Terawhiti in the North Island.
The expansion of the wings is about 1 inch. The fore-wings of the male are dull olive-green with numerous, rather obscure, wavy brownish transverse lines; these lines are all more distinct near the costa; there are two transverse rows of white dots near the base, a very broken line of white dots at about three-fourths, one of the dots forming a crescentic mark above the middle; beyond this line the colour is often paler, especially towards the apex, but inside this line there is often a considerably darker patch; there is a very distinct blackish patch just below the apex. The apex of the wing slightly projects, and the termen is arched. The hind-wings are very pale greenish-ochreous; there is an obscure dusky transverse line in the middle. The female has the fore-wings much browner; there are several additional rows of white dots and two conspicuous white spots above the middle.