Genus 2.—PARADETIS, Meyr.
"Palpi short, arched, roughly-scaled beneath. Antennæ bipectinated. Fore-wings with vein 6 from below 9, 7 from below angle of areole, 10 very shortly anastomosing with 9, 11 out of 10 considerably before angle of areole, 12 free. Hind-wings with veins 6 and 7 stalked, 8 separate, united to 7 before transverse vein by an oblique bar.
"This singular genus is of quite uncertain affinity, and stands at present alone. The simple areole, and connecting bar of 7 and 8, can only have arisen by modification of the normal type of this family, to which it must be referred. It is also the only New Zealand genus except Declana in which the female has pectinated antennæ; but this character recurs in a few exotic genera not otherwise allied."—(Meyrick.)
Plate [II]., figs. 27 and 28 represent the neuration of the male of Paradetis porphyrias, vein 2 of the hind-wings being absent in that sex. In the female, which is the sex from which Mr. Meyrick characterized the genus, the vein is present as usual. Only one species is known.
PARADETIS PORPHYRIAS, Meyr.
(Parysatis porphyrias, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 58. Paradetis porphyrias, Meyr., ib. xviii. 184.)
(Plate [VI]., fig. 36 ♂.)
This interesting little insect has occurred in the South Island at Mount Arthur, Castle Hill, the Otira Gorge, and Lake Wakatipu.
The expansion of the wings is about ¾ inch. The fore-wings of the male are deep purplish-brown; there is a wavy, reddish, transverse line at about one-third and another at about two-thirds; between these two lines near the dorsum there are often four, more or less distinct, yellow dots; there is an obscure orange mark at the origin of the first line and a conspicuous mark at the origin of the second. The hind-wings are deep purplish-brown. The cilia of all the wings are white. The fore-wing has the apex hooked and the termen deeply excavated above and below the middle. The female is very much paler; the lines are more distinct and the veins are marked in brown.
The perfect insect appears in January. It frequents rather open spots in the forest, and flies in a very busy manner close to the ground amongst the numerous ferns and other plants, which are always abundant in such situations. It is consequently very inconspicuous and sometimes difficult to capture. Thus, no doubt, it is often overlooked, and perhaps is much commoner than at present appears probable.