on the Entomology of New Zealand. 265 
The Forficule are not numerous ; two species were found under 
rubbish. 
In Hymenoptera I observed only about seven or eight species, 
amongst which was a bee, with large burthens of farina on its hind 
legs ; but where it nidifies, and whether or not it produces honey, 
are questions that no doubt will soon be solved by the Rev. Mr. 
Cotton, present chaplain to the bishop, whose writings on Apiology 
are well known. In Neuroptera I observed five or six species of 
Iibellule ; three were captured; but the high winds, and their 
instinctive alertness, prevented further success. In Homoptera 
three species of Cicada were found ; the largest is a numerous spe- 
cies, and in fine weather makes a continual chirruping noise, which 
may be heard at a great distance on low brushwood, and on the 
Phormium tenax. A peculiarly formidable insect, allied to Gryllus 
(Deinacrida, White), is found in old trees, secreting itself in rents 
and crevices; it is an abundant species, and carnivorous; called 
by the Maories Weta. The male is distinguished from the other 
sex by its enormous head, the bite of which is very severe; both 
sexes are apterous, the female very prolific in ova. I have seen 
two other species of this genus, the others I lost; they are rare ; 
habitat as the first, but not in society with it; all apterous. The 
small grasshoppers are most numerous, and afford many obscurely 
marked species. In Diptera, the carrion flies perform a more 
important part in nature, as scavengers in New Zealand, than I 
have observed in any other country; they are large and very 
numerous, depositing living maggots. There is also a yellowish 
coloured'one, which also deposits living maggots; these arrive to 
the pupa state in six days, and to that of the imago in nine and a 
half days from the time of ejectment. 
The Tipulide are rather numerous and ornamental. Musqui- 
toes abound in some localities ; the species is of one obscure black 
colour. In Lepidoptera there are decidedly few species; in Diwrna 
I have seen about seven; in Noctuwide they are much more 
numerous, but the high winds, together with the economy of the 
larvee, renders them very difficult to procure. There is a large 
caterpillar of a Lepidopterous insect, found feeding upon the stem 
and roots of the brassica, and other tribes of culinary vegetables. 
These are of a large size, nearly black; are nocturnal feeders, bur- 
rowing in the earth during the day; it appears to be an Hepzalus, 
and is very destructive to gardens, &c. 
The entomological climate of New Zealand would agree with the 
third of that of Latreille, and it is interesting to find a similarity 
