Porina variolaris, Guenée.

Caterpillar.—Smooth, shining, about two or two and a half inches in length. Pale yellowish-brown, each ring with four annulated brown spots, from each of which arises a long hair. The two anterior of these spots are larger, and placed nearer together than the others. These marks are not found on the three anterior segments, which are darker than the others. Last segment but one, with a row of four occellated spots anteriorly, and seven posteriorly. Sides, head, legs, and pro-legs, with a few scattered long brown hairs. Spiracles, margined with black.

Chrysalis.—Light reddish-brown, with a few scattered brown hairs. Each segment with two rows of small, flattened, triangular teeth pointing backward on the dorsal surface. The last segment but two, with a stronger row of teeth on the ventral surface. Spiracles, darker.

Hatches in January to March, lives underground, and feeds on wood and roots of plants. Feeds through the autumn and winter, and changes to a chrysalis in November. The chrysalis is found from two to six inches below the surface. The moth appears in December, January, and February.

A considerable number of this species have been reared in the Museum, and although they varied slightly, none were like P. rignata. I, therefore, think that Mr. Butler is wrong in uniting the two species.

Declana floccosa, Walker (?).

Caterpillar.—Brown, slightly vermiculated with yellowish; a very few scattered black hairs. A pair of small tubercles placed transversely on the penultimate segment. Two pairs of pro-legs only. Skin, rather rough, and produced along each side below the spiracles into a row of pectinated tufts. Length, one inch.

Feeds on Aristotelia and Ulex. The moth hatched out on 12th July, after having been nearly two months underground.

Nitocris comma, Walker.

Caterpillar.—Smooth, with a few scattered whitish hairs, which are most abundant on the head and legs. Brownish-grey, mottled with darker; two irregular longitudinal bands of lighter down the back, and a similar band on each side; ventral surface, paler, yellowish-brown; legs, pale yellow; jaws, rich brown; head, black. Length, rather more than an inch.

Chrysalis.—Light red, slightly marbled on the back with brown. Feeds on groundsel, grass, garden vegetables, etc. Spins a cocoon about one and a half inches under the earth at the end of November. Moth appears in January. The caterpillar is a great pest in gardens.

Euplexia insignis, Walker (?).

Caterpillar.—Purplish-grey, longitudinally marked with darker; a greyish-

white line down the middle of the back, Generally with a small yellow spot, sometimes with a black centre, on each side on every segment. Sometimes with an irregular dash of black above each spiracle. A few scattered hairs on the back. Length, 1.5 inch.

Feeds on Clematis and Aristotelia. Moth appears in September, and lays pale-green eggs.

Hadena lignifurea, Walker.

Caterpillar.—Brown, or olive-brown, variegated with blackish-brown; under surface, pale olive-green; a white or pinkish lateral line below the spiracles, and above it on the anterior part of each segment, an oblique black line sloping downwards and backwards. Head, brownish-olive, with scattered hairs. Legs and pro-legs, yellowish-olive. Smooth, with a few scattered pale hairs. Length, 1 ¼ inch.

Chrysalis.—Smooth, round; light red, abdominal segments rather darker; the anterior part of each segment brown, and with a band of shallow punctures.

The caterpillar changes into a chrysalis in February, and the moth appears in January, February, and March.

This species differs from H. mutans by always having a short, longitudinal, basal black stripe on the anterior wings.

Anchmis composita, Guenée.

Caterpillar.—Reddish-pink, with fine longitudinal black bands; under-surface, pink. Head and first segment, pale yellow marked with black; legs, pale yellow; pro-legs, yellow tipped with black; claspers, yellow. A few scattered yellowish hairs; head, smooth. Length, ¾ inch.

Feeds on grass. The moth comes out from January to March.

Ninety-seven individuals of a small undescribed Ichneumon came out of a single caterpillar of this species.

Asthena subpurpureata, Walker.

Caterpillar.—Pale brown, longitudinally marked with darker; nearly smooth. A curved black mark, convex backwards, on the back, over the last pair of pro-legs. Length, 1.1 inch.

Feeds on the manuka (Leptospermum ericoides). The moth appears in March.

Hybernia boreophilaria, Guenée.

Caterpillar.—Grey, marbled with brown; two pairs of white spots margined with black on the dorsal surface of each segment. A few scattered black hairs. Legs and pro-legs pale. Length, 1 inch.

The moth is hatched in April.

Larentia semisignata, Walker.

Caterpillar.—Green, or yellowish-green; smooth, with a few scattered yellow hairs. A narrow yellow ring round the base of each segment. Length, ¾ inch.