506 rOURTH BULLETIN OF [1846. 



THE HOTTE, OF NEW ZEALAND.* 



The following is an extract from a letter of the Rev. John G. 

 Monis, D. D., of Baltimore, on the subject of a very remarkable 

 insect or larcn : 



"This animal, it is said, travels up both tlio rata and perriri trees, and enterini; 

 into the top, eats its way, perforating llu; trunk of the tree, until it reaches tho 

 root. It then comes out of tiie root and dies, or lirs dormnnt, and the plant pro- 

 pagates out of its head; the body remains pcrfool and entire, of a harder subslancn 

 than when alive. From this in»ect the natives of New Zealand make a coloring 

 for tattooing." 



The following are the remarks of Dr. Morris upon the subject, 

 which probably contain the true account of the habits ol this re- 

 markable insect, and all that is at present known in regard to it. 

 He says : 



"This animal feeds upon the sweet potato, (runvnictihis buintns,) and is often 

 found, wlien (lend, with a parasitic pi mt {Iflpltaria Hohertsi) growing out of its 

 head. You will see a figure of the larva and the plant in Hooker's Icones Plan, 

 tarum, vol. 1, tab. 2, where the plant is more specifically described. Hooker 

 says 'the plant is not uncommon in New Zealand, always growing on the dead 

 larva of a caterpillar.' The question is, why is the seed deposited always on tho 

 head? Does the plant begin lo grow before the animal dies, and does lis growth 

 kill the larva; or is it only after death that it forms an animal soil for the prodm:. 

 tion of this extraordinary parasite ? The account of the habits of this insect wliich 

 you have received, and caused to be exhibited with the specimens in your collec- 

 tion, is altogether fabulous. 



" I should have stated before that it is the caterpillar of a butterfly that is subject 

 to this strange capi/a^ accompaniment. The butterfly is unknown tome, and until 

 some intelligent entomologist visits that country, and makes proper observations, 

 we must be content with tho imperfect knowledge we have. In one of my works 

 I have a figure of a small plant growing out of the body of a perfect fly, (musca 

 vegetans,) said to occur in Havana, but the story is not authentic, and is open to 

 doubt. I regret that my investigations have not led to a more satisfactory result" 



The following letter from Consul Williams, on the same subject, 

 has lately been received : 



Auckland, New Zealand, October 30, 1845. 

 Dear Sir: Having on a former occasion sent you a concise account of the 

 Hotte, I now take great pleasure in herewith enclosing a number of the Hott£, 

 bulrush caterpillar. This singular plant, which is a native of New Zealand, may 

 be classed among the most remarkable productions of tho vegetable kingdom, 

 making the body of an insect — and that too, very probably, a living one— the foun- 

 dation from which it bears its stem, and the source from which it derives its sup. 

 port. It certainly forms one of the most surprising links between the animal and 

 vegetable kingdom yet noticed, and as such, merits as circum.'^tantial a description 

 as the personal imperfect acquaintance with it will allow. It is only found at tho 

 foot of a particular tree, the "rata," the female pohutakawa, which, in every 

 instance, exactly fills the body of the caterpillar, in the finest specimens attains a 

 leniTth of three inches and a half; and the stem which germinates from this meta- 

 morphosed body of the caterpillar is from six to ten inches high; its apex fructifi- 

 cation resembles the club-headed bulrush in miniature, and when examined with a 

 powerful glass, presents a wonderful appearance. There are no leaves — a solitary 

 stem comprises the whole plant. If broken off, a second stem arises from the same 

 spot. The body is not only always found buried, but the greater portion of the 

 stalk as well, tho seed vessel alone being above ground ; and when the plant 

 has attained its maturity it soon dics away. Those curious plants are far from 

 being uncQinmon in this country; tho natives cat them when fresh, and likewise 



• Sec pp. 483, 493. 



