"Eyes glabrous. Club of antennæ abrupt. Fore-wings, with vein 10 separate. Hind-wings with transverse vein, absent between veins 4 and 5." (Meyrick.)
(Plate XI., fig. 16, fig. 17 under side.)
This butterfly was very common in the neighbourhood of Wellington during the summer of 1886-87. To the best of my knowledge the insect had not previously been observed in New Zealand, but I understand from Mr. R. Holloway that he has since met with it on the sea-coast near New Plymouth, in 1893, and at Motueka in 1898.
The expansion of the wings is nearly 2 inches. On the upper side all the wings are dull blackish-brown, with greenish or bronzy reflections. The fore-wings have two broad orange-brown stripes on the costa, and _a very large patch of the same colour along the termen, containing a large black spot with a bluish-white centre_; there are three irregular whitish marks near the apex of the wing, and a minute blue-centred ocellus. The hind-wings have _two very large orange-brown spots almost touching each other near the termen; each of these contains a large blue-centred ocellus in the middle_; there are also two terminal rows of brown crescent-shaped markings. Underneath, the markings of the fore-wings resemble those of the upper side, but they are very much paler, and the ground colour is light brown. The hind-wings are pale brown, with a wavy black line across the middle, followed by a brown shading towards the termen; there are also four small round black spots and a series of irregular black dots near the termen.
The perfect insect occurred very plentifully in December, January and February, and was fond of settling on barren, stony places in the hot sunshine. It was very timid and difficult to catch, darting off with great rapidity when approached. During the season I managed to secure about nine specimens, some of them in very good condition. I am unable to explain the sudden appearance of this butterfly in New Zealand during the above-mentioned year. The large numbers, which were observed over extended areas, almost seem to forbid its accidental importation from Australia, whilst the distance of New Zealand from that continent would render immigration a most unlikely circumstance. On the other hand, if the insect is a regular inhabitant of this country, it is strange that it had never before been observed. When on the wing, its superficial resemblance to _Vanessa cardui_ may have led to its having been overlooked, and hence it is very desirable that entomologists should use every effort to detect it in the future.