This species has occurred occasionally in the Wellington Botanical Gardens. It is no doubt found elsewhere, but I cannot give any other localities with certainty.
The expansion of the wings of the male is 1¼ inches, of the female 1⅜ inches. The fore-wings of the male are pale yellowish-brown, with two indistinct, irregular, transverse darker lines near the base, a conspicuous curved line a little beyond the middle, followed by a blackish patch; there is a series of very fine parallel oblique brown stripes on the costa, and several series of curved, blackish marks near the termen, and on the central portions of the wing. The fore-wings of the female are much greyer, with a conspicuous, irregular, white streak from the apex towards the dorsum, the central portions of the wing are white, and, with the exception of the fine, oblique costal stripes, the other markings of the male are usually absent. The hind-wings of both sexes are dull ochreous. The strongly pectinated antennæ of the male, and the oblique costal markings of both sexes, will at once distinguish this species from any of the varieties of Declana floccosa.
This moth varies in the intensity of the markings, which in some specimens are very indistinct.
The perfect insect appears from November till March. It is generally captured on blossoms in the evening.
DECLANA HERMIONE, n. sp.
(Plate [X]., fig. 36.)
A single specimen of this very handsome insect was captured at Khandallah near Wellington.
The expansion of the wings is 1¼ inches. The fore-wings are bright purplish-brown, clouded with silvery-white towards the middle and on the termen; there is a very fine oblique chocolate-brown mark at the base, a broad broken transverse band at about one-eighth; a fine curved transverse line at about three-fourths, shaded towards the termen; there are four wavy brown marks on the termen inclining obliquely upwards towards the costa; the termen itself is narrowly edged with chocolate-brown. The cilia are silvery mixed with brown; the termen is very strongly bowed. The hind-wings are grey, shaded with purplish-grey towards the termen; the cilia are grey.
The type specimen was captured at sugar in November.
DECLANA GRISEATA, n. sp.