484 Mr. D. Sharp's dcscrijitlons of new genera 



New Zealand PselaphidcB hereafter described belong to 

 eight genera, two of which, viz., Pselaphus and Puplectns, 

 are of wide distribntion ; while the other six will probably 

 prove peculiar to the New Zealand islands and to Australia. 

 Even, however, if the above data should be correct, it 

 would still be very unwise to make any comparisons of the 

 New Zealand fauna with other faunas from them, for the 

 value to be ascribed to the genus is so vague and un- 

 certain, that it is far better to base considerations of the 

 kind alluded to on facts connected with species. If this 

 be done with the New Zealand Pselapliida, we then 

 remark that, in the first place, all the species known are 

 peculiar to the islands, and next that the proportion of 

 interesting forms is large. The Dalma puhescens stands 

 so completely on the line between the groups Psehipliini 

 and Euplectini, that these two groups can only in future 

 be considered as two groups connected by a completely 

 intermediate existing link, or sjmthetic type, as it would 

 more ordinarily be called. Again, the four species 

 described under the generic name Sagohi are very in- 

 teresting, OAA-ing to their close relationship with our 

 anomalous European Far onus Lafertei. 



I am inclined, therefore, to conclude that New Zealand 

 is rich in PselapliideB (for it is certain that the fifteen 

 species here made known can be but a small part of the 

 species actually existing in the islands), and also that a 

 considerable portion of the species will prove to be of an 

 interesting and important nature. 



I caimot pass by this opportunity of alluding to the 

 great scientific importance that attaches to an accurate 

 knowledge of the New Zealand fauna ; and to the sjiecial 

 importance of gaining as rapidly as possible a knowledge 

 of its existing Coleoptera. There is, in my opinion, no 

 part of the Avorld that possesses such an immediate claim 

 to the attention of Entomologists as do the New Zealand 

 islands. They form, according to Huxley, one of the 

 four great fauna-]irovinces of the world. They are 

 remarkably isolated, and occupy a position of peculiar 

 importance in the southern hemisphere : Avhile what we 

 actually know of their fauna, promises us a large propor- 

 tion of primordial forms and of synthetic types, and of 

 remarkable develo})ments. But while we have great rea- 

 son to hope that a knowledge of the New Zealand fauna 

 will contribute largely to the solution of many important 

 scientific questions, we have on the other hand only too 



