of the most extraordinary flies known, its very broad and 

 short wings giving it somewhat the aspect of a Stylopid on a 

 large scale ; and the larvae of the Mycetophilid Bolitophila 

 luminosa Skuse, which live gregariously in a slimy web on 

 damp banks in the " bush," well deserve the name of the 

 " New Zealand Glow-worm." Although the Maoris assert 

 that mosquitoes were unknown before the coming of the 

 English, the endemic species are quite sufficiently blood- 

 thirsty, though none of them appear to be bearers of malaria ; 

 and sand-flies {Simulium) are very troublesome in some places, 

 especially in the rainy forests of the South Island. 



The few Trichoptera call for little remark, except that the 

 larva of Philaniscus pleheius McL. lives among seaweed on the 

 coast between tide-marks, a habit almost or quite unique in 

 the Order. In the genera Stenosmylvs and Drepanepteryx, 

 the Neuroptera-Planipennia includes several endemic forms of 

 great beauty ; and in the Odonata, of which ten species, com- 

 prised in five families and six genera, are restricted to the 

 region, Uropetala carovei White, allied to the equally large 

 Chilian Phenes raptor, is one of the finest dragon-flies in the 

 world. Three peculiar species of Termitidae are found in New 

 Zealand, but they do no appreciable damage. In the Epheme- 

 riclae are one or two exceedingly fine forms, of which the most 

 noteworthy is Oniscigaster wahefieldi McL., with its extra- 

 ordinary hind-body looking like that of some Crustacean. 

 It is greatly to be regretted that this unique insect, as well as 

 several others of its family, has been practically exterminated 

 by the trout introduced in such numbers into the country 

 during recent years. 



Among the most conspicuous and remarkable of New 

 Zealand insects are the apterous forest-crickets of the family 

 Sfenopelmatidae, known throughout the Islands by the Maori 

 name of " Weta," and of which some thirty-five species have 

 been recorded. The largest of these, the " Weta-punga," 

 Deinacrida heteracantha White, whose body is nearly as bulky 

 as that of a mouse, and whose stout spiny hind-legs are six 

 inches in length, lives in holes in trees in the North Island. 

 It is now extremely rare, having been, it is said, nearly exter- 

 minated by the introduced Norway rat, and commands a high 



