94 t^P"i' 



Insects observed on a (jJacier in New Zealand. — On January 11th, 1922, 

 during- an attempted ascent of Iluapehu, a slightly active volcano, 0000 feet 

 high, in the centre of the North Island of New Zealand, I had the good 

 fortune to observe many hundreds of insects stranded on a glacier at a height 

 of 7500, feet. Five orders were represented among the insects thus seen. 

 The}' were all lowland forms, and must eitlier have been blown up from the 

 surrounding plains, or, as I think more probable, wore migrating across 

 country. It has been previoush' observed that insects occasionally congregate 

 on mountain-tops during- migration. Ruapehu is the highest summit in the 

 North Island, and is surrounded by many miles of undulating forest and 

 tussock-clad country, practically in its primitive condition and ranging from 

 2000 to 4000 feet in height above sea-level. It thus seems highly probable 

 that insect swarms should occur on this mountain. 



At first sight I thought the glacier was covered with fine dust, but on a 

 closer examination the " dust" proved to be minute Dipterous insects. Apart 

 from these, the Cocdnellidae, Lei's antijyodum Muls., Coccinella 11-punctuta L., 

 and another species of Coccinella with large black spots (not as yet identified), 

 were by far the most abundant. Other Coleoptera observed were Metrior- 

 rhijnchus erraticus Er., Pyronota /estiva F., P, edivardsi Sharp, and a small 

 Hister with extremely rugose elytra (not yet identified). These Coleopiera 

 were moribund, but they revived when held in my hand. The Lepidoptera 

 that were seen belonged to the families Noctuidae, Geometridae, Tortiicidde, 

 and Tineidae, but were all in too poor condition for identification, and most of 

 them were dead. Other Diptera seen included a Crane-fly, Macromastix clara 

 White, and a Stratiomyid, Odontomyia chloris Walk. Among the Neuroptera 

 {sensu lata) were two dragon-flies, Sojnatochlora sviithii White and Xantho- 

 oiemis zeakmdica McL., two Stone-flies, Leptoiierla maculuta and a closely- 

 allied species, and a Caddis-fly, Pseudonema obsoleta McL. The Hemipfera 

 were represented by the two "bugs," Oncacontias vittatus F. and Ni/sius 

 clavicui-uis. 



All these insects were collected in about ten minutes, as clouds came 

 down and necessitated a hurried retreat from the mountain. — Stella Hudson, 

 Ilillview, Karori, Wellington, N.Z. : Ja7iuanj 22}id, 1922. 



THE BRITISH SPECIES OF HALICTVS AND SPHECODES. 

 V.Y R. C. L. PERKINS, M.A., D.SC, IMf.S. 



[_Continued from p. 52.] 

 Group II. 



5?. 



1 (4) Thorax clothed with \exy bright fulvous-brown hairs. 



2 (?)) IJind tibiae clear testaceous or yellow ; propodeuni with tlie anterior 



area very finely rugose, not shining, and with tlie hind angles 

 rounded off; a very large species 10-13 mm. long 

 .... xanfhopus K. 



3 (2j Ilind tibiae not clear testaceous ; propodeum with the anterior area 



strongly rugose, shining, the hind angles strongly prominent ; 

 species 7-9 mm. long laeci(/atus K. 



