This species is probably often overlooked through being mistaken for Xanthorhoe cinerearia.
Genus 15.—SAMANA, Walk.
"Face loosely haired. Palpi long, straight, porrected, attenuated. Antennæ in male dentate, ciliated (1). Fore-wings with vein 6 rising below 9, 7 from below angle of areole, 10 anastomosing strongly with 9, 11 anastomosing strongly with 10, 12 free. Hind-wings normal."—(Meyrick.)
Of this genus we have two species in New Zealand.
SAMANA FALCATELLA, Walk.
(Samana falcatella, Walk. xxvii. 197. Panagra falcatella, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 93. Samana falcatella, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvii. 65.)
(Plate [VIII]., fig. 36.)
This unusual-looking species has occurred in the South Island, at Nelson and at Dunedin.
The expansion of the wings is 1¼ inches. The fore-wings are very pale ochreous, speckled with grey; there is a very fine longitudinal black streak from a little beyond the base to considerably before the middle, slightly clouded above; an elongate dot above the middle; a very oblique slightly curved black streak from near the apex to the middle of the dorsum, edged with white towards the base, and clouded with brown towards the termen; the apex of the wing is very acute. The hind-wings are white, with a black dot above the middle.
The perfect insect appears in February. It is apparently a rare species.