(Plate [V]., fig. 15.)
A single specimen of this insect was taken at light on the Tableland of Mount Arthur, in January 1891, at about 3,600 feet above the sea-level.
The expansion of the wings is 1⅜ inches. The fore-wings are dull brown with a pale area on the dorsum near the base, and a very broad pale band just before the termen; there is a broken black-edged transverse line near the base, and a fainter transverse line at about one-third; the orbicular is oblong, the claviform crescentic, and the reniform oblong, white, and very conspicuous, all are strongly outlined in black; there is a shaded transverse line on each side of the broad pale terminal band; the termen is dark brown; the cilia are brown, and the veins are marked in black. The hind-wings are pale grey; there is a rather conspicuous dark crescent in the middle, and two shaded transverse lines; the cilia are grey.
This species is evidently allied to Melanchra dotata.
MELANCHRA STIPATA, Walk.
(Xylina stipata, Walk., Suppl. 753. Mamestra stipata, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 25.)
(Plate [V]., fig. 17 ♀.)
This fine species has occurred at Wellington in the North Island, and in the South Island at Christchurch, and West Plains, near Invercargill.
The expansion of the wings is 1¾ inches. The fore-wings are brown; there is a shaded, pale yellowish-brown, longitudinal line on the costa, and an extensive irregular patch of the same colour from about two-thirds to within a short distance of the termen; the orbicular is large, oval, oblique, pale yellowish-brown; the claviform is semicircular, broadly margined with black; the reniform is dull grey, with one large and one small white mark towards the termen; the termen is broadly shaded with dark blackish-brown, except near the apex of the wing and a little below the middle. The hind-wings are dark brownish-grey, with the cilia reddish-brown. The female is rather paler with a slightly olive tinge. Both sexes vary a little in the depth of their colouring.
The perfect insect appears from October till May. It is common at Christchurch, but rather scarce in Wellington.