384 Transactions. — Miscellaneous . 



out, the available collecting-power of a community is very 

 small, and we should therefore husband our resources — that 

 is, we should concentrate our efforts on those spots where 

 species are most likely to suffer extinction. These conditions 

 may be said to apply to New Zealand species generally, but 

 more especially, I think, to those species which frequent the 

 native forests, particularly in the North Island. 



Hence I consider that forest collecting is at present one of 

 the most important branches of field-work that New Zealand 

 entomologists can take up. This being the case, I shall begin 

 my remarks to-night with a few T notes on the collection of 

 entomological specimens in our New Zealand forests. 



The best months for forest collecting in the lowlands of 

 New Zealand (meaning by lowlands localities not exceeding 

 1,500 ft. above the sea-level) are November, December, and 

 January, December being really the best of all. At this sea- 

 son a very large proportion of our known Lepidoptera may 

 be obtained in a favourable locality, as well as large numbers 

 of species belonging to the lesser-known orders of insects. 

 The Coleoptera are also extremely abundant during the early 

 summer, and a great many species may be found by beating 

 the foliage or blossoms of trees over a sheet spread on the 

 ground, or, if the ground be too rough for this, into an in- 

 verted umbrella, preferably a large one, lined with some white 

 material. By similar methods a good collection of spiders 

 may also be secured. 



I have found that forest ravines or river valleys are much 

 more productive in insects than hill-bush far removed from 

 water. To work a forest fully, it is necessary for the col- 

 lector to follow up the stream and thoroughly beat the foliage 

 on each side. The insects are then captured with the net as 

 they fly out. To do this successfully requires a sharp eye 

 and quick hand, as a lengthy pursuit is almost always impos- 

 sible in such situations. If the stream is a fairly small one, 

 wading may often be resorted to with advantage ; and, in fact, 

 it is very seldom feasible to work a forest stream efficiently 

 without taking to the water occasionally. Many interesting 

 species of Lepidoptera, Neuroptera, and Diptera (the latter 

 mostly Tipulidce), frequent the overhanging banks of deep 

 forest ravines, and can only be dislodged by a vigorous 

 probing with the stick into all the nooks and crannies. A 

 dried manuka stick, fairly stout and about oft. long, is very 

 suitable for all this class of work, as well as being a most 

 efficient aid in climbing over boulders, logs, &c, which always 

 more or less obstruct the passage of these streams. The same 

 class of stick is also most suitable for mountain work ; in 

 fact, the entomologist almost always requires a long stick in 

 one hand and the net in the other. 



