( ^^73 ) 



IX. Descriptio7is of new species of Hymenopterous Insects 

 of New Zealand, collected hy C. M. Wakefield, 

 Esq., principally in the neighbourhood of Canter- 

 bury. By Frederick Smith. 



[Read 7tli June, 1876.] 



Thirty new species of Hymenoptera are described in the 

 present paper, nearly all having been taken in the Canter- 

 bury Province of the south Island ; thus a large area is 

 left much less carefully entomologically explored. It may, 

 therefore, I think, be confidently expected that, wlien 

 the north Island has been worked as well as the south, 

 at least double the number at present discovered Avill 

 be added to the Hymenopterous fauna of Ncav Zealand. 

 Captain Hutton, in his observations on the indigenous 

 insects, observes, "the Hymenoptera are poorly repre- 

 sented, about eighteen species only being yet known." 

 The addition now made to the list increases it to forty- 

 eight. 



The Hymenoptera are less diligently collected than the 

 more popular orders, but I feel confident that the list will 

 ultimately number, if it do not exceed, one hundred species. 

 The Formicida must surely consist of more than five 

 species, the number at present discovered, and the fossorial 

 group will in all probability prove to be much more exten- 

 sive. Of the bees but few species are knov/n, but the 

 genus Megachile must, I imagine, find some representa- 

 tive species, since several have been found in Tasmania, 

 and Australia has at present yielded abont forty species. 

 No species of Scolia has yet been discovered, although 

 both the above-named countries have several indigenous 

 representatives of the genus; these localities have also pro- 

 duced many species of MutillidcE, but not a single species 

 has, to my knowledge, been found in New Zealand ; not 

 a single Avasp has been taken, but I fully expect species of 

 the genus Odynerus will be discovered, it being well repre- 

 sented in Australia, and a few species have come from 

 Tasmania likewise. 



Mr. Wakefield's collection contained nearly all the 

 species previously described, and two of TenthredinidcB, 



TRANP. ENT. SOC. 1876.— I'ART III. (oCT.) I I 



