The life-history is thus described by Mr. Meyrick[[9]]: "The larva is wholly black, clothed with long black hairs, those covering segmental incisions brownish-ochreous. It feeds on Senecio bellidioides. The pupa is enclosed in a slight cocoon."
The perfect insect occurs in January, frequenting sunny, grassy slopes on the mountain-sides, at about 4,000 feet above the sea-level. It flies with great rapidity; hence it is generally very difficult to catch.
METACRIAS HUTTONII, Butl.
(Phaos huttonii, Butl., Cist. Ent. 487; Metacrias huttonii, Meyr., Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W., 1886, 750; Trans. N. Z. Inst. xxii. 216.)
(Plate [IV]., fig. 6.)
This interesting species was discovered at Lake Wakatipu, by Professor Hutton.
The expansion of the wings of the male is 1⅛ inches. The fore-wings are black; there is an oblique crimson line near the base, two broad longitudinal cream-coloured lines above and below the middle, and a double transverse series of oblong cream-coloured spots near the termen. The hind-wings are pale ochreous, with a black crescent-shaped spot near the middle, and a broad black band almost touching the termen except a little before the tornus. The female is apterous.
Described and figured from a specimen in Mr. Fereday's collection.
Family 2.—CARADRINIDÆ.
The Caradrinidæ are distinguished by the following characters:—