This species is of almost universal distribution, having occurred in Australia, Java, India, Europe, and North and South America. In England it is regarded as a great rarity.
Genus 6.—ICHNEUTICA, Meyr.
"Antennæ in male strongly bipectinated throughout. Thorax and abdomen smooth."—(Meyrick.)
This genus is very closely allied to Leucania. It appears to be exclusively limited to New Zealand, where it is represented by two conspicuous species. Probably when the extensive mountainous regions of the country have been more fully explored by entomologists other species will be discovered.
ICHNEUTICA DIONE, n. sp.
(Plate [IV]., fig. 27 ♂.)
A single specimen of this interesting species was captured by Mr. C. W. Palmer, on Mount Arthur at an elevation of about 4,400 feet.
The expansion of the wings is 1½ inches. The fore-wings are dull blackish-brown, darker near the middle; there is a rather oblique, white, longitudinal stripe below the middle from about one-eighth to one-third; above this there is a very conspicuous, large, elongate white mark; this mark has a semicircular indentation above, probably representing the orbicular; another indentation towards the termen, probably representing the reniform, and below this it emits two short teeth-like projections; beyond these markings the ground colour becomes paler, and is traversed by an obscure, jagged, transverse line; the cilia are grey. The hind-wings are pale grey; the cilia are also grey. The body is dark brownish-black. The pectinations of the antennæ of this insect are slightly shorter than those in Ichneutica ceraunias.
The type specimen is slightly damaged; but the species is so evidently distinct that I feel no hesitation in describing it.
ICHNEUTICA CERAUNIAS, Meyr.