6 INDEX FAUNAE NOV^E ZEALANDI&. 



lizards,* some fishes like Erythricthys, Parapercis, and Eleotris. 

 Nearly the whole of the land Mollusca, including Endodonta, 

 Placostylus, Rhytida, Athoracophorus, also many marine and fresh- 

 water shells, Monilea, Xenophora, Unio, and a very large number 

 of insects, including the whole of the Phasmidce and Stenopel- 

 matidce. The Katipo Spider (Latrodectes) must also be included 

 in this group, for it is found not only in Australia, but in the 

 Malay Archipelago and India. There is also a closely allied 

 form in Chili. Scyphax, a terrestrial isopod, occurs only in 

 New Zealand and New Caledonia. Armadillo also is distinctly 

 Melanesian. 



The Ethiopian Element. This is small, but remarkable. 

 Most noticeable is the relation between the extinct Dinornithidce 

 and the also extinct sEpiornithidce. of Madagascar. Our Fern- 

 bird (Sphentzacus) belongs to a genus which is found only in New 

 Zealand and South Africa, but it has a near ally in Madagascar. 

 There is a curious and easily recognised beetle, called Sternaulax, 

 which is also only found in New Zealand and Madagascar. And 

 perhaps we should include the marine shell Littorina mauritiana, 

 although it is also found in Australia. 



The Oriental Element. This includes species which have 

 nearer relatives in the Oriental region than in the Malay Archi- 

 pelago. Our tree lizards belong to a genus, Hoplodactylus, 

 found only in New Zealand, Queensland, and India ; but there 

 are some related forms in New Caledonia and the Malay Archi- 

 pelago. Our frog, Leiopelma, has its nearest relative in China, 

 and there are no known representatives of the family to which it 

 belongs either in Australia or in the Malay Archipelago. The 

 black butterfly, Percnodaimon, is a north temperate alpine form, 

 and is said to have its nearest relative in the Himalaya. Also 

 the May fly, Ichthybotus, is close to Ephemera of the northern 

 temperate regions and India. The genus of marine shells, 

 Ethalia, is not found nearer to New Zealand than Borneo. 



Probably both the Ethiopian and Oriental elements ought to 

 be placed with the Malayan element, the connecting links in the 

 Malayan Archipelago having been exterminated or not yet found. 



The Australian Element. This I take to mean those species 



* Gehyra oceanica may have been brought to New Zealand by the Maoris 

 in their canoes, among the food stores. For undoubtedly it is by this means 

 that it has become distributed through the islands of the Pacific Ocean. 



