(Plate [V]., fig. 3 ♂, 4 ♀.)
This species has occurred at Wellington and at Paikakariki, in the North Island. In the South Island it has been found at Akaroa and Lake Coleridge.
The expansion of the wings is about 1½ inches. The fore-wings are dull ochreous more or less shaded with dark reddish-brown, especially in the vicinity of the transverse lines; there are several obscure pale marks near the base; the orbicular is grey, margined towards the dorsum with a conspicuous white or dull yellow crescentic line; the claviform is small, round, dull grey, edged with darker; the reniform is large, darker grey, paler towards the costa, margined with white or dull yellow towards the base of the wing and termen; there are two obscure transverse lines, the outer one often being slightly toothed towards the termen; sometimes there is a terminal series of minute black marks; the cilia are brown. The hind-wings are dark grey, with the cilia white.
This species varies considerably in the ground colouring of the fore-wings. In some specimens the wing is almost entirely rich reddish-brown, whilst in others this colouring is confined to the vicinity of the stigmata and transverse lines. Numerous intermediate varieties exist which seem to connect these two forms.
The perfect insect appears in January, February, and March. It is very common in the Wellington Botanical Gardens on the white rata blossoms.
MELANCHRA PROTEASTIS, Meyr.
(Mamestra vitiosa, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 20 (nec Butl.). Mamestra proteastis, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xx. 45.)
(Plate [IV]., fig. 40 ♂.)
This insect is very common in the neighbourhood of Christchurch.
The expansion of the wings is 1¼ inches. The fore-wings are dark chocolate-brown; there are several very obscure marks near the base, the orbicular and claviform spots are almost invisible, the reniform is pale brown with a minute dot above and below it towards the termen, followed by a pale, darker-margined, transverse line. The hind-wings are dull brownish-grey, with the cilia paler. The female is rather darker in colour than the male.