Broun. — On the Carabidse of Neiv Zealand. 195 



during its metamorphoses, and in due time the imago emerges, 

 prepared to do to some other insect what its mother had 

 already done. I explained these matters to the worthy couple, 

 and I feel sure that the farmer or his wife never molested one 

 of these " horrid flies " again. 



Another, but somewhat different, case was brought to my 

 notice a short time ago. A gentleman in Canterbury sent me 

 a specimen of an insect, asking me to name it for him. In his 

 letter he informed me that an orchardist had given it to him, 

 telling him that the beetle had been eating the scale-insects 

 which infested his apple-trees. I at once informed the gentle- 

 man referred to that if the orchardist would carefully examine 

 his fruit-trees later on he would find that the beetle was 

 boring into some of his trees instead of ridding them of scale- 

 insects. The beetle is a Goniptcrus, a destructive weevil im- 

 ported from Australia, most likely amongst the seeds or young 

 plants of Eucalypti. 



I have mentioned these facts in order that you may have 

 some idea as to the kind of knowledge possessed, I fear, by 

 very many individuals who hope to gain their livelihood by 

 the cultivation of the soil, but who, it must be apparent, are 

 likely to suffer heavy pecuniary losses through misdirected 

 observation, neglect, and — may I add ? — ignorance. 



After this digression I shall endeavour to confine my 

 remarks to the Carabidce. 



The new species discovered during the last collecting- 

 season bear the following names : — 



Trichosternus crassalis 

 Pterostichus arduus 



„ scitipennis 



„ delator 



Sympiestus oculator 

 Tachys oreobius . . 



„ cavelli 

 Oopterus puncticeps 



No. 2434, Man. N.Z. Coleop. 



No. 2435, 



No. 243G, 



No. 2437, 



No. 2439, 



No. 2441, 



No. 2442, 



No. 2440, 



The first-named species, Trichosternus crassalis, is the 

 finest in New Zealand so far as we know at present. Tricho- 

 sternus antarcticus was formerly considered the largest and 

 typical species, but the new one is about one-third larger. It 

 was found at Albury by Mr. W. W. Smith, of Ashburton. 

 This gentleman has been kind enough to place at my disposal 

 a good series of several species of Carabidce, collected near Ash- 

 burton within the last two years. Amongst these are what I 

 consider two or three varieties of Trichosternus antarcticus, 

 which I believe to be common in the neighbourhood of Christ- 

 church. If one of these varieties, the least like the typical 

 form, be examined by itself by some one who has not most of 

 the described species, it would, I have no doubt, be named as 



