303 The Insect 'Fauna of Van Biemen^s Land. 



Restiacecp, Froteacete, Fpaeridece, and Mp^tacea, on tlie 

 contrary^ are particularly numerous. The MyrtacecR have 

 their principal locality here. The Epacridece are almost 

 entirely peculiar to New Holland. As to Yan Diemen^s 

 Land^ notwithstanding- that its geographical position, and 

 the greater humidity of its climate, assimilate it to the 

 temperate zone of the northern hemisphere, the aspect of 

 its vegetation, according to E-obert Brown, is, on the whole, 

 the same as that of the continent of New Holland. Of the 

 natural families, which determine the character of vege- 

 tation in the latter country, some have materially decreased 

 in Van Diemen's Land, but none become more numerous ; 

 the Fjjacr'ides, the Eacali/2:)ti, and the leafless Acacice alone 

 maintain an ec[ual relative position {^) . 



(*). "Flinder's Yov. to Terr. Austral.," 2nd, Appeud. III.,, p. 586. "Eoberf 

 33rowu's Miscellaneous Writings," by Nees Von Esenbeck, I., s. 121. In tile 

 Journal of Botany for 1840, the younger Hooker commenced a systematic review 

 of tbe plants of Van Diemen's Land. I think it will be interesting to mention 

 here the families and genera 'of the plants found in the same districts as the 

 insects I am about to describe. Carefully selected specimens have been forwarded 

 by Mr. Schayer to the Eoyal Herbarium ; for their examination and arrangement 



1 am indebted to Dr. Klotzsch. 



The ferns are forms analogous to the European genera Folypodvum . (two 

 species), Sleclmum, Asjpidium, Fteris; the grasses are similar to those of the 

 geneva, Faiiicum, Fesiuca, Fromiis ; the CijjperacecB correspond with two Euro- 

 pean species of Carex } the Fuestiaceee belong to the genus Mestio (common alsa 

 to S. Africa), and to Anthistiria (kangaroo grass, peculiar to, N. Holland) ; of th? 

 Slyridece there is 1 IKyris ; of Juncece 1 Juncus and Luzula campestris ; of 

 ColcliiaceoB 1 Angularia ; of FiUiacece 1 Blandfordia and 3 species of the gen. 

 Tulhagliia (common also to the Capa of Good Hope) ; of Iridecs 1 species of the 

 gen. Sisyrinoluum and 1 Cipura (the former is common to America also) ; of the 

 OrchidacecB only forms peculiar to IST. Holland, 1 Spiranthes, 5 F^-asophyllum, 

 3 Diuris, 4 Tlielymitra. 



Of the small family of StachJiousiacem, which is peculiar to N"ew Holland, 3 

 species of StacJchousia ; of Thymelaoece the same number of Finielea and 1 Dais ; 

 of Froteacem, 1 Manglesia and 1 BanJcsia. The Frimulacea and Laliatcs 

 which have been forwarded present only European forms, viz. : the former, 1 

 Anagallis and 1 Samolus (littoralis) , the latter, 1 Thymus ; the Scrophulariiiece 

 !!^ave 1 Veronica and 1 JSujjJirasia ; the SulanecB 1 Solanum; the So7'i'agineea 



2 Myosotis, which are very similar to European species, and 1 Mvharrena ; the 

 Convolviilaccts 1 Convolvidus ; the JSpacyidea;, whinh are peculiar to Kev?: 



