136 Transactions. 



Hypochaeris radicata, however, is found all over the open country, and 

 is freely visited by the small bee DasycoUetes hirticeps. Trifolium minus, . 

 too, which occurs in the gullies, is probably visited by some insect, as it 

 sets seed freely, and the seeds have been germinated from sheep-dung. 

 These are the only cases noted where change of vegetation may have 

 influenced insect-habits. 



In the animal world, however, or at least in the vertebrate world, the 

 most profound changes have been made. Over practically the whole of 

 the area the sheep reigns supreme, and the effect of its grazing upon certain 

 flowers has doubtless been reflected on the insect population. With the 

 sheep has been introduced Oestrus ovis, the sheep's nasal bot-fly, which lays 

 its eggs in the sheep's nostrils, so that on hot days the persecuted beasts 

 may be seen stamping their feet, tossing their heads, or standing huddled 

 together with noses to the ground. Sheep's dung, too, must be fed upon 

 by numerous maggots and beetles, and the animals that die have a marked 

 effect upon the numbers of blow-flies that infest this and all similar locali- 

 ties. Except the sheep, the only mammal that could affect the vegetation 

 is the hare, and of this only occasional specimens are seen. Bird-life is 

 not at all plentiful, and has probably changed considerably as a result of 

 human occupation. Of water-birds, the paradise duck (Casarca variegata) 

 is the most common, flocks of twenty or thirty being frequently seen on 

 Lake Sarah and in the swamps. Grey ducks (Arias superciliosa) and a very 

 tew black swans also occur on the lake. An odd pukeko (Porphyrio mdano- 

 notus) may be seen in the swamp, and an occasional shag (Phalacrocorax 

 carbo) passes from stream to stream. The black-cap tern (Sterna albistriata) 

 and the seagull (Larus dominions) are rather common on the river-beds. 

 Of native land-birds the grey warbler (Pseudogerygone igata) is the com- 

 monest in shrub-land and forest-skirt. The kea (Nestor notabilis) occurs in 

 flocks of ten to twenty above the line of about 4,000 ft., and traces of its 

 scratching for earth-boring insects are frequently seen. The banded dotterel 

 (Ochthodromus bicinctus) is common on the river-beds, an occasional hawk 

 (Circus gouldi) nests in the swamps, and very rarely a morepork (Ninox 

 novae-zealandiae) may be heard from the patches of forest. Introduced 

 birds are much more numerous. The skylark (Alauda arvensis) is found 

 everywhere, and a nest with eggs was seen among the rocks at an elevation 

 of nearly 5,000 ft. Skylarks are in this locality almost purely insectivorous, 

 though in the agricultural districts poisoned grain scattered over a field 

 of sprouting wheat kills more larks than sparrows. The house-sparrow 

 (Passer domesticus) and starling (Sturnus vulgaris) build about the railway- 

 station, but, while the sparrow keeps near the buildings, the starling may 

 be seen a mile away on the rocks and the tussock-land. Thrushes (Turdus 

 musicus), blackbirds (T. merula), red-poll 1 - (Linota nifescens), and, most of 

 all, yellowhammers (Emberiza citrinella) have invaded the shrub-land, and 

 doubtless exert a considerable effect on the insect-life. 



Tt seems likely that birds were once much more numerous than they are 

 at present. This opinion is based upon two facts : (1) The development 

 of protective coloration among all orders of insects is very perfect, and 

 seems much more elaborate than is necessary to escape the meagre army of 

 enemies now present. Further, many insects are abandoning (or, it may 

 be. had never acquired) the habits that would conduce to safety from 

 bird-attack. Cramhus flexuosellus, the common yellowy-white moth of the 

 tussocks, is a familiar example. While stationary it is invisible, but it 

 rises before the walker at every step, and its movement when disturbed 



