Story: Magazines and periodicals

Porina mairi illustration

Porina mairi illustration

This illustration of a giant moth appeared in the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute, the colony's first scientific journal, in 1872. The moth was discovered by Walter Buller and Gilbert Mair during an expedition into the Ruahine Range in 1867, and Buller named it Porina mairi after Mair. It was reported to have a wing span of 150 millimetres, as large as the pūriri moth. No other specimens of the moth have been found and the one collected by Buller was subsequently lost. This is the only image of it. 

Using this item

Royal Society of New Zealand
Reference: Transactions and proceedings of the Royal Society 1 (1868), facing p. 280

Permission of the Royal Society of New Zealand must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Ben Schrader, 'Magazines and periodicals - Early ventures, 1840 to 1890', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/artwork/44367/porina-mairi-illustration (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Ben Schrader, published 22 Oct 2014, updated 1 Apr 2020