1904.] 125 



resorted to by visitors from Christchurch. It is almost hidden in 

 groves of English fruit trees, and behind it the hills rise in a fine 

 amphitheatre to a height of 2000 to 2500 feet. As usual, very little 

 of their original forest clothing is left, except bleached logs and 

 stumps ; and a few noble Totara pines scattered over the slopes 

 testify to its former beauty and luxuriance. We were here for two 

 or three days in March, 1902, but I then found little except a fine 

 undescribed species of Trichoafernus (akaroensis, Broun) which was 

 not rare under logs and stones ; and the little " Blue," Ltjccena oxleyi, 

 Feld., was taken in some numbers flitting along ihe roadsides among 

 white clover. 



In the following October the conditions were much more favour- 

 able for collecting, and I met with some very nice insects. The 

 Kowhai trees (Sophora tetrapliylla) were then in full golden blossom, 

 and looked almost as brilliant as laburnums ; and their profuse store 

 of honey was attractive to multitudes of hive-bees, as well as to those 

 beautiful birds the Tui or "Parson-bird" {Prosthemadera novce- 

 zelandice), awd the Korimako or " Bell-bird " (AntJtoniis mela7iu7'a) the 

 most melodious of New Zealand's songsters, but both rarely seen and 

 heard so near to civilization now-a-days. Coleoptera did not seem to 

 appreciate these flowers, but a good many small forms were taken by 

 general beating, among them the lovely Zorion castum, Br., in some 

 numbers. Under stones and logs occurred two species of Enarsus, 

 Dorcus squamidorsis, White, Somatidia antarctica, White, and Tricho- 

 sternus akaroensis again in plenty ; more sparingly a rather handsome 

 Staphylinid, CreopAilus huttoni, Br., and a very fine, nearly smooth 

 form of Mecodema of large size, M. loalkeri, Broun. In a very 

 rotten log I found an interesting and rather rare little stag-beetle, 

 Geratognatlius helotoides, Thorns., in considerable numbers. 



v.— PICTON, PELORUS SOUND. 



The north-eastern corner of the South Island, at the entrance of 

 Cook's Strait, is indented by an intricate series of deep narrow inlets 

 or " sounds," presenting some of the most picturesque and striking 

 scenery in New Zealand. At the head of one of the largest of these, 

 Queen Charlotte's Sound (Captain Cook's favourite harbour in New 

 Zealand) is the small town of Picton, on a beautiful little harbour, 

 completely land-locked and surrounded by lofty hills, which are still 

 well wooded, though fire and axe have worked sad havoc on the once 

 luxuriant forest which clothed the shores of the Sounds. 



