"The ground colour is leaden with a covering of black hairs; there is a
broad white stripe down the back, and on each segment down the side is a
double scarlet spot. On the continent of Europe this caterpillar is said
to feed on the forget-me-not (_Myosotis arvensis_)."
In New Zealand the moth appears in February. Mr. Meyrick remarks[7]:--"It
is probably only an occasional immigrant. Although a feeble-looking insect,
it possesses extraordinary capabilities of flight, and is sometimes met
with far out at sea. It occurs throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia,
and the Pacific Islands." It is well known to {4}English entomologists as a
great rarity, and many discussions have taken place at various times as to
the propriety of retaining it on the list of British Lepidoptera.
Genus 3.--METACRIAS, Meyr.
"Tongue obsolete. Antennæ in [M] moderately bipectinated throughout.
Palpi rather short, hairy, concealed in rough hairs of head. Thorax and
femora densely hairy beneath. Anterior tibiæ with developed spine
beneath, and apical hook. Fore-wings with vein 2 from 2/3, 6 from point
with or out of 9, 7 and 8 out of 9, 10 sometimes connected with 9 at a
point above 7. Hind-wings with veins 3 and 4 almost from point, 6 and 7
from point or short-stalked, 8 from about 1/3. Wings in [F] rudimentary.
(Plate II., fig. 1 neuration of fore-wing, fig. 2 ditto of hind-wing.)
"An interesting and peculiar genus, apparently most allied to some
Australian forms of _Spilosoma_, but quite distinct. Three species have
been discovered, two of them quite recently, and it is not unreasonable to
hope that additional forms may hereafter be found amongst the mountains, to
which they seem especially attached."--(Meyrick).
METACRIAS STRATEGICA, Hdsn.
(_Arctia strategica_, Hdsn., Entom., 1889, 53. _Metacrias strategica_,
Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xxii. 216.)
(Plate IV., fig. 4.)
This handsome species is at present only known by a single specimen,
captured by Mr. W. W. Smith, near the summit of the Richardson Range, in
South Canterbury, at an elevation of about 3,000 feet.
The expansion of the wings of the male is 1½ inches. _The fore-wings are
black, with two broad, dull yellow, longitudinal streaks_; between the
costa and the first streak is a very fine yellowish line, and between the
two streaks there are three similar lines. _The hind-wings are bright
yellow, with a broad black band, parallel to the termen, interrupted just
before the tornus; the vicinity of this black band is tinged with
crimson._ The body is black; the top of the head, collar, and sides of
the thorax and abdomen are dull yellow. The female is probably apterous.
This species may be readily distinguished from the two following by the
yellow collar, absence of any large spot in the centre of both fore-wings
and hind-wings, and the red colouring of the termen of the hind-wings. The
moth was taken in February, frequenting a species of _Carmichælia_. It may
be looked for in the mountainous regions of South Canterbury, but at
present nothing further is known of its habits.
METACRIAS ERICHRYSA, Meyr.
(_Metacrias erichrysa_, Meyr., Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W., 1886, 749; ditto,
Trans. N. Z. Inst. xxii. 216.)
(Plate IV., fig. 5.)
This species was discovered by Mr. Meyrick on Mount Arthur in the Nelson
District in 1886. Since that time I have taken eleven specimens in the same
locality, and have seen several others, but as yet I have not heard of its
occurrence elsewhere.
The expansion of the wings is 1½ inches. _The fore-wings are black, with
orange-yellow markings._ These consist of a fine line near the costa,
becoming very broad near the base, several elongate markings between the
veins near the middle, a series of spots near the termen, and a broad
streak parallel to the dorsum. The hind-wings are orange-yellow, with a
curved black spot in the middle, and a broad black band on the termen,
ending considerably before the tornus, and nearly broken a little before
its termination. The female, according to Mr. Meyrick,[8] is "wholly
whitish-ochreous; wings minute, aborted; legs short, stout, well
developed."
The life-history is thus described by Mr. Meyrick[9]: "The larva is wholly
black, clothed with long black hairs, those covering segmental incisions
brownish-ochreous. It feeds on _Senecio bellidioides_. The pupa is enclosed
in a slight cocoon."
{5}The perfect insect occurs in January, frequenting sunny, grassy slopes
on the mountain-sides, at about 4,000 feet above the sea-level. It flies
with great rapidity; hence it is generally very difficult to catch.
METACRIAS HUTTONII, Butl.
(_Phaos huttonii_, Butl., Cist. Ent. 487; _Metacrias huttonii_, Meyr.,
Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W., 1886, 750; Trans. N. Z. Inst. xxii. 216.)
(Plate IV., fig. 6.)
This interesting species was discovered at Lake Wakatipu, by Professor
Hutton.
The expansion of the wings of the male is 1-1/8 inches. The fore-wings
are black; _there is an oblique crimson line near the base_, two broad
longitudinal cream-coloured lines above and below the middle, and a
double transverse series of oblong cream-coloured spots near the termen.
The hind-wings are pale ochreous, with a black crescent-shaped spot near
the middle, and a broad black band almost touching the termen except a
little before the tornus. The female is apterous.
Described and figured from a specimen in Mr. Fereday's collection.
Family 2.--CARADRINIDÆ.