Page:Transactions NZ Institute Volume 15.djvu/35

preceded by an obscure whitish suffusion; an irregular dentate suffused white mark at apex; an irregular white line along hindmargin, tending to form a spot in middle, and two confluent spots below middle; hind-marginal edge blackish: cilia greyish-ochreous, more whitish at anal angle, with two suffused darker fuscous lines, and with a white spot above apex. Hindwings whitish-fuscous-grey, with a dark grey spot before middle, a narrow irregular well-defined grey band close before hindmargin, and a sinuate grey line closely preceding band; an interrupted blackish-grey hind-marginal line; cilia grey-whitish, with a grey line near base.

Peculiar in facies, readily known by the two double white transverse lines.

Tolerably common at Christchurch on fences and old walls in January, and I have also taken it at light; occurs also at Dunedin. Mr. R. W. Fereday informs me that the imago has the same habits as Dipt. elaina, whence it is probable that the larva feeds in the same way.

Antennæ of male crenulate, ciliated. Labial palpi moderately long, terminal joint slender, exposed, hairs of second joint produced beneath into an obliquely projecting tuft. Wings in female much abbreviated, incapable of flight. Forewings with 12 veins, 8 and 9 stalked. Hindwings with 8 veins, 4 and 5 from a point, 6 widely remote at origin from 7, 7 and 8 stalked, cell closed.

This genus is nearly allied in venation and other respects to the two preceding, but is distinguished from all by the abbreviated wings of the female; the palpi also afford a noticeable character, for the long projecting hairs of the second joint, instead of being appressed to the terminal joint, are sufficiently depressed to form a very distinct oblique tuft, but some species of Thinasotia show traces, though less marked, of a similar structure. The larva is of the normal type, and feeds on lichens. Only one species is as yet known to me.

Male.—16½–20 mm. Head grey-whitish, forehead blackish. Palpi blackish, apex of maxillary palpi, and of second and terminal joints of labial palpi, grey-whitish. Antennæ dark fuscous. Thorax grey-whitish, shoulders mixed with blackish, back wholly suffused with blackish. Abdomen ochreous-grey-whitish. Anterior and middle legs black, tarsi with a white ring at base of first three joints, middle tibiæ with a suffused whitish median band; posterior tibiæ grey towards base and at apex whitish, tarsi ochreous-white with a dark grey band on each joint. Forewings triangular, moderate or rather narrow, costa very slightly arched, somewhat more before apex, apex rounded, hindmargin regularly rounded, oblique; white,