334 Transactions. 



Art. XL. — On Flabellum rugulosum, Tenison-Woods. 



By Henry Suter. 



[Retd before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 4th ^October, 1905.] 



Flabellum rugulosum, Tenison-Woods, " Palaeontology of New- 

 Zealand," part iv, "Corals and Bryozoa of the Neozoic Period 

 in New Zealand," 1880, p. 12, figs. 8, a, b 



Captain J. Bollons, of the Government steamer " Hinemoa," 

 dredged living specimens of this fine coral in 50 fathoms 

 between Cuvier and Mokohinau Islands, and very kindly 

 presented me a specimen. Unfortunately, the animal had 

 already been removed, but Captain Bollons told me that it 

 was beautifully banded with white and scarlet. My example 

 agrees in every particular with specimens from the Pliocene 

 of Wanganui, but it is larger than any I have seen. Altitude, 

 44 mm. ; axis, 60 mm. ; min. axis, 20 mm. 



This interesting addition brings the number of New Zea- 

 land species of the genus up to two, F. rubrum, Q. and G., being 

 the other species. This latter is not uncommon on rocks at 

 low-water mark in Hauraki Gulf, and is very conspicuous by 

 its scarlet animal. Unfortunately, in alcohol the colour is com- 

 pletely lost. 



Art. XLI. — Notes on Insect Swarms on Mountain-tops in New 



Zealand. 



By G. V. Hudson, F.E.S 



[Bead before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 2nd August, 1905.] 



At a recent meeting of the Entomological Society of London, 

 the president, Professor Poulton, F.R.S., read a short paper 

 entitled "A Possible Explanation of Insect Swarms on Moun- 

 tain-tops," in which he suggested as probable that " certain 

 species of insects with powerful flight, after reaching the imaginal 

 state, have the instinct to seek conspicuous isolated features 

 in the landscape ; that in others with smaller powers or unable 

 to fly the instinct is merely to ascend. The effect of both ten- 

 dencies is to reduce the area over which the sexes have to find 

 each other. A somewhat deferred maturity, and the gradual 

 collection of scattered individuals into swarms, is probably 

 associated with the instinct in many cases, facilitating still 



