George Vernon Hudson

“ It is certainly well exemplified by this and several other species of the genus Notoreas, and it will be at once noticed by the collector, how extremely difficult it is to follow these active little moths, as they fly with short and rapid flight over the grey rocks and stones, with which their fore-wings so completely harmonize; the momentary glimpse obtained of the brilliant hind-wings so completely deceives the eye, that there is much more difficulty in marking the spot where the insect alights, than would have been the case if the brilliant colour had never been displayed. ”

“ On the under side all the wings are dark blackish-grey, traversed by six broad, wavy whitish lines. The perfect insect appears in December, January and February, and frequents rocky crags on mountains, at elevations of from 4,700 to 5,700 feet above the sea-level. It delights to rest on blackened rocks in the hottest sunshine, but dashes away with the greatest rapidity on the approach of the collector, so that it is generally rather difficult to capture. ”

“ The hind-wings are as variable in colour as the fore-wings; there is one wavy line near the base, followed by an almost straight line, which is a continuation of the straight line of the fore-wing; beyond this line the ground colour is generally much darker; the termen itself has no projections. The female has broader wings and a shorter body than the male; the ground colour and markings are similar to those of the male, but are usually more sombre, and the termen of both fore- and hind-wings is furnished with a number of prominent projections. ”