(Plate [VI]., fig. 12 ♂.)
This species has occurred at Wellington.
The expansion of the wings is 1 inch. The fore-wings are dull rosy-brown, traversed by numerous obscure blackish transverse lines, somewhat concentrated towards the middle and forming an ill-defined central band; the termen is slightly shaded with blackish, and the veins are marked with dotted lines. The hind-wings are grey, tinged with rosy-brown; there are numerous very faint blackish transverse lines and the veins are marked with blackish dots. The cilia of all the wings are dark grey. The termen of the hind-wings is rather irregular.
The perfect insect appears in December and January, and is attracted by light. I once took a specimen in July, but this may have been due to an exceptionally mild winter.
CHLOROCLYSTIS SPHRAGITIS, Meyr.
(Pasiphila sphragitis, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xx. 51.)
(Plate [VI]., fig. 13 ♂, 14 ♀.)
This extremely variable insect has occurred at Wellington in the North Island, and at Christchurch in the South Island.
The expansion of the wings of the male is ⅝ inch, of the female ¾ inch. The fore-wings are pale ochreous; there is a narrow darker area at the base followed by a narrow oblique pale band; then a broad central band, formed of numerous oblique, wavy, brown, transverse lines, next, a rather narrow curved pale band, followed by several small irregular patches on the termen, sometimes forming a dark brown terminal band; all the markings are much darker on the costa, and portions of the costa, termen, and dorsum are frequently tinged with green. The hind-wings are pale ochreous; there are numerous wavy, pale brown lines on the dorsum, becoming obsolete towards the costa. The termen of all the wings is edged with fine black crescents. The cilia are pale ochreous barred with dark brown.
The perfect insect may be met with from September till February, but is most abundant in the early spring. It is extremely common in the Wellington Botanical Gardens, frequenting the forest gullies, where numerous specimens may be easily dislodged from amongst the dense undergrowth. This moth rests with expanded wings on the leaves and stems of shrubs, but is extremely difficult to find in such situations, the colouring of the insect causing it to closely resemble the droppings of birds.