Australian in general character, exhibit unmistakable affinities 

 with the latter. These are most pronounced in the case of the 

 endemic birds, but among the Coleoptera are two species of 

 Xylofoles, one of the most characteristic of the New Zealand 

 Longicorn genera. Some thirty species of beetles have been 

 recorded, but a much greater number must inhabit an island 

 of such luxuriance and fertility. In Lord Howe Island, which 

 is only 300 miles from the Australian coast, and more than 

 twice as far from the nearest point of New Zealand, about 

 80 species of Coleoptera, included in no fcAver than 68 genera, 

 have been found ; among these are two species of Xylotoles 

 and two of Somatidia, the latter genus being otherwise restricted 

 to New Zealand. Unfortunately the representatives of the 

 other Orders in these very interesting islands appear to be 

 almost unknown, except the butterflies, all of which are of 

 Australian species with the exception of the fine Papilio 

 amphiaravfi Drury of Norfolk Island, which has its nearest 

 ally in New Caledonia. 



It will be evident from this general review that the out- 

 standing feature of the insect fauna of New Zealand is its 

 eminently precinctive and isolated character, which it exhibits 

 in common with all the living productions of the region. The 

 origin and affinities of these have been the subject for many 

 years past of a large amount of speculation and discussion on 

 the part of students of the geographical distribution of animal 

 life ; and the general constitution of the fauna may be stated 

 in the words of Prof. F. W.Hutton, one of the most eminent 

 of these * — " The fauna may be divided into a small aboriginal 

 element, including species which have no near relatives else- 

 where, and larger Malayan, Australian, and Antarctic elements, 

 as well as several smaller ones. In many cases, however, it 

 is hard to say in which group a species should be placed, for 

 its relations are so widely scattered. Taking a broad view of 

 the whole fauna, however, it may be said that the terrestrial 

 portion is chiefly of Malayan origin, but with rather strong 

 Palaearctic and Neotropical connections." The origin of the 

 aboriginal element may date back as far as the beginning of 

 the Tertiary period, and among the insects it probably includes 

 * Index Faunae Novae Zealandiae, Introduction, p. .5. 



