"Characters of _Nymphalidæ_, but fore-wings with vein 12 greatly dilated towards base." (Plate I., figs. 25, 26, and 27, neuration of _Erebia pluto_.) "A large group of very general distribution. The species are usually of moderate size, generally dark coloured with light bands or spots, and with several round, black, white-centred spots on lower surface. Some of them are more fond of shady places than is customary in this group. "Ovum spherical-ovate, surface reticulated and often ribbed. Larva more or less tapering towards extremities, with short hairs; segment 13 ending in two points; feeding on grass. Pupa suspended by the tail or unattached, sometimes subterranean."--(Meyrick.) (See Plate III., figs. 4 and 5 larvæ, 28 and 29 pupæ.) Of this family we have three genera represented in New Zealand:-- 1. ARGYROPHENGA. 2. DODONIDIA. 3. EREBIA. Genus 1.--ARGYROPHENGA. Eyes glabrous. Club of antennæ somewhat abrupt. Fore-wings with lower margin of cell greatly dilated towards base; veins 8, 9, 10, and 11 out of 7; vein 12 greatly dilated towards base. Of this genus there is one species in New Zealand. ARGYROPHENGA ANTIPODUM, Doubleday. (_Argyrophenga antipodum_, Doubleday, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. xvi. p. 307 (1845); Gen. Diurn. Lepid. pl. 63, fig. 6 (1851); Butler, Erebus and Terror Lep., pl. 8, figs. 4, 7 (1874).) (Plate XI., fig. 4 [M], 5 [F], 3 variety, 6 under side of [M], 7 under side of variety; Plate III., fig. 4 larva, fig. 29 pupa.) This species occurs commonly on the tussock lands from Christchurch to Invercargill. In the provinces of Nelson and Marlborough it is, I believe, confined to situations having elevations of from 2,000 to 4,000 feet above the sea-level. It has never been captured in the North Island. The expansion of the wings varies from 1-3/8 to 1¾ inches. _Above, all the wings are dull brownish-black, paler near the body; the outer portion of each is covered with a large patch of bright orange-brown (northern form), or fawn colour (southern form); on the fore-wings this patch contains a large oval black spot, with two white dots in the middle; on the hind-wings there are two, three, or four black spots, with one white dot in the centre of each_; beneath, the markings on the fore-wings resemble those of the upper surface, except that there are often several short silvery stripes near the apex; the hind-wings are dull yellow, with silver streaks between the veins, and one broader streak in the centre of the wing. The female is much paler than the male, with the borders of the wings whitish.