398 Mr. D. Sharp on the Elaterida of New Zealand. 



or two that have probably been introduced from Australia by- 

 means of the commercial communications between the two 

 countries ; but, as a whole, I am inclined at present to the 

 opinion that the relationship of the fauna (I speak here only 

 of the Elateridas) is nearer to that of Chili than to that of any 

 other country, and that after Chili Australia must be ranked 

 as offering the next greatest affinity. 



The forms I have described under the generic name of 

 Protelater are of great interest from the peculiar structure of 

 their head, which is of so unspecialized a character, that with 

 but little modification it might be transformed into the head 

 of a Throscid or Eucnemid ; while at the same time it is satis- 

 factorily connected with the other Elateridse, I consider, by 

 another series of New-Zealand species here described under 

 the generic name of Oeranus. 



Now, as the modifications in the formation of the head offer 

 the most important basis for a classification of these insects 

 (Elateridse, Eucnemidge, Throscidge), we might seem entitled 

 to come to the conclusion that Protelater is a primitive form 

 or synthetic type. If we do so, however, we are met with 

 this striking fact, that this Protelater does not show any near 

 approach in the structure of its head to the ordinary Coleo- 

 ptera, but, on the contrary, is more different from them in that 

 respect than are many other members of the family (e. g. 

 Corymhites^ Lacon, and their allies) . If, then, we were to allow 

 ourselves to suppose that Corymbites and Lacon were descended 

 from such a form as Protelater^ we should be obliged to admit 

 that the process of' evolution of their head has been one of 

 convergence to the average Coleopterous type, rather than one 

 of divergence from it. Interesting as this result would be, I 

 do not think we are justified in attaching much importance to 

 it ; for the homologies of the parts of the head in different 

 groups of Coleoptera is a question that has scarcely been 

 touched ; and if, as it is supposed, the head of an insect consists 

 of three or more coalesced segments, each of which segments 

 is itself composed of numerous parts, it is clear that the inter- 

 pretation of the structure of the head in any one selected 

 coleopterous form must be a very difficult one ; and with so 

 many parts to begin with, it would be very hazardous to con- 

 clude that two heads which should appear to be similar have 

 been arrived at by a similar series of modifications. 



My thanks are due to Captain Broun, of Tairua, and C. 

 M. Wakefield, Esq., now of Uxbridge, for the most impor- 

 tant contributions to the material from which I have drawn up 

 this paper. 



