184 Transactions. — Zoology. 



the luminous dipterous larva, which on examination proved 

 identical with those found on the banks of streams in the 

 forest round Wellington. In the afternoon we visited a 

 singular gorge, chiefly remarkable for its steep sides, and 

 a large rock at the entrance, in the middle of the stream, 

 somewhat resembling a sphynx in shape. This place is well 

 worth visiting, and can be easily found by following down the 

 first large stream which crosses the southern end of Salis- 

 bury's Opening. A peculiar species of ranunculus was abun- 

 dant on the steep sides, and many other rare-looking plants. 

 The insects taken were numerous, comprising, amongst the 

 Geomctrbia, Larentla bryojns, Cidaria _/;?«7;7^ri/(era, Epyaxa 

 semifissata, Larentia clarata, and Boarmia productata. Of 

 Pyralidina the genus Scoparia was, as might be expected, 

 strongly represented, the following species being taken flying 

 about the rocks: ScojMria philerga, S. cyviatias, S. trivirgata, 

 Xeroscojxi nipliospora, X. cyameuta, X. rotuella, DiptychopJiora 

 interrupta, Q^cophora griseata, and many other Micro-Lepi- 

 doptera. In fact, the locality is so productive that I devoted 

 two other afternoons to collecting there, and should strongly 

 recommend any entomologist visiting the Table-land to give it 

 his close attention. On Sunday, the 27th January, I decided 

 to work Mount Peel and the neighbourhood, and made an 

 early start in the morning, arriving on the top of the mountain 

 at about 11 o'clock. On our ascent, Notoreas paradelpha 

 was common at about 4,000ft., where a black species of 

 Pyronata also occurred. The first, snow was met with at 

 about 5,000ft., and shortly afterwards we again fell in with 

 Erchia pluto, but not so commonly as on Mount Arthur. As, 

 however. Mount Peel is so much better suited to collecting, a 

 larger and finer series was taken here than on the former. I 

 was also astonished to meet with the odd little Chrysophanus 

 boldenancvi u-p here. The butterfly is said to frequent river- 

 beds in the South Island ; but I am inclined to think that it 

 is far more widely distributed, and have seen large numbers 

 in Wellington Province. A fine species of Locust ida was 

 also abundant on the rocks, and completely protective in its 

 colouring. The same species occurred on Mount Arthur, and 

 in both localities the insects were quite invisible when motion- 

 less. On returning, a visit was made to Lake Peel, where 

 several specimens of the alpine cicada {Cicada cassiopc, Hud., 

 MS. name) were secured, as well as Statlivionyma hectori and 

 other interesting insects. 



Monday, the 28th, was devoted to setting specimens and 

 collecting in the gorge, and on Tuesday we left the Table- 

 land, meeting with three specimens of Dodonidia helmsii on 

 the track, all of which were unfortunately out of reach. 



Perhaps a few notes on the lowland insects observed in 



