140 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



The Phasmidse are distributed throughout the warmer regions 

 of all continents, but in Europe only a few small wingless species 

 occur, in the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. In West- 

 ward's " Catalogue of the Phasmidse " 38 genera with 481 species, 

 &c., are mentioned, including some 17 genera with 61 Australian 

 and Polynesian species. But these have been since that time 

 (1859) largely added to. In Rainbow's "Catalogue " of 1897 there 

 are enumerated 17 genera with 61 species for Australia alone. In 

 a list which appeared in the " Transactions of the Royal Society 

 of South Australia," for 1902, 50 genera with about 122 species 

 are recorded. Owing, however, to some uncertainty in correctly 

 recognizing the sexual and larval states in some cases, on account 

 of their great divergency in form, and (2) to the difficulty of 

 correctly diagnosing allied species from dried or spirit specimens 

 in others, the above numbers may admit of corrections and 

 considerable fluctuations, according to the subjective views of 

 observers and authors. 



Economically only a few kinds have proved injurious to any 

 considerable extent, and this no doubt owing to the blind 

 destruction or diminution by man of their principal natural foes 

 — viz., birds, smaller reptilians, and small mammals, especially 

 lizards and bats, either through prejudice, savage love of de- 

 struction, or for sport. Of such economically injurious species 

 the following may be mentioned : — Graeffea (Lopaphus) 

 cocophaga, Gray, is known to have sometimes seriously injured 

 young Cocoa Palm plantations at Fiji and elsewhere. Her- 

 mardius (Fhibahsoma) phytonius, Westwood, is reported as 

 occasionally greatly injuring the young shoots of sugar cane, 

 which the insects resemble when at rest. Podocanthus ivilkin- 

 soni, Macleay, is stated to have defoliated considerable tracts 

 of eucalyptus woods when present in inconceivably large 

 numbers. Most other species (and perhaps the above too at 

 ordinary times) are usually more or less rare and quite harmless. 



The literature referring to the Phasmidae is not very extensive, 

 but scattered, costly, or otherwise not easily accessible. This 

 paucity is largely due to considerable difficulties in collecting, 

 preserving, and conserving specimens^ as well as in accumulating 

 extensive collections, owing to the large size, softness (when 

 fresh), and fragility (when dry) of the specimens ; nor are the 

 insects, for the same reasons, in favour with collectors either. To 

 this must be added the difficulty of correctly diagnosing from 

 frequently mutilated or distorted specimens, and by descriptions 

 in dead or foreign languages without illustrating figures. 



The first to enter the list with an important classificatory work 

 was G. R. Gray, in the early part of last century ( " Synopsis of 

 the Phasmidse " and " Entomology of Australia " ), followed by 

 Latreille, Serville, and others. Next we have J. O. West- 



