92 Oai)t. F. W. Hutton on the Geographical 



Of beetles about 200 species inliabiting the land are 

 described, the whole of which, I believe, are found nowhere 

 else. These species are distributed into about 110 genera, of 

 which about 35 are peculiar to New Zealand. A remarkable 

 contrast to this is shown in the water-beetles, of which four 

 only are known, two [Gyhister Ilookeri and Colymhetes rufi- 

 manus) being,! believe, endemic, and the other two [Colymhetes 

 notatus and Gyrinus natator) being found in Britain. The 

 genera best represented are, Elater with twelve, Feronia with 

 eight, Mecodema with nine, Xylololes with seven, Gicindela 

 with six, A nchomenus ixwdi Maoria w'ii\\ five each, and Coptoma 

 with four species. Few beetles can be called abundant ; the 

 little green species [Pyronota festiva) so destructive to our 

 fruit-trees, and a small brown species (Colaspis hrunnea)^ 

 common on the manuka [Leptosjyerminn) in December and 

 January, are perhaps the only two that deserve the epitliet, 

 although many can be called common. The beetles as a whole 

 are, according to Mr. Pascoe, most closely allied to those of 

 Australia. 



The Hymenoptera are very poorly represented, about 

 eighteen species only being as yet known. All are, I believe, 

 endemic. Most of the genera are widely spread ; but Orecto- 

 gnathus and Dasycolletes are peculiar to New Zealand. The 

 poorness of our fauna in this order cannot be owing to un- 

 suitableness of climate; for the honey-bee [Ajyis mellijica), 

 whicli was introduced about thirty years ago, has spread over 

 both islands *. 



The Diptera are more numerous than the Hymenoptera, 

 sixty species being known. This is just opposite to what 

 obtains in most countries, including Australia and South 

 America. Of these, Tipula senex is found in Australia, Musca 

 taitiensis in Polynesia, and Musca Icemica in both Australia 

 and Polynesia. Although most nearly allied to Australia, our 

 dipterous fauna must have been derived from other localities 

 as well ; for the genus Dip>hysa occurs only in Mexico and 

 Brazil, Actina in Europe, Goinosia and Sapromyza in Europe 

 and North America, and Ojyomyza in Europe and the Mauri- 

 tius. No genus is endemic. Of the earwigs we possess one 

 endemic species [Forjicula littorea), found only near the sea- 

 shore. 



Of the Lepidoptera I know hardly any thing, and prefer 

 waiting until Mr. Fereday has published his promised descrip- 

 tions of the species before examining their bearing on the 

 present subject. But one fact stands out prominently, viz. 



* Mr. W. T. L. Travers informs me that the honey-bee was introduced 

 into Nelson in 1842, and that wild bees wore common in 1850. 



