1890.] 219 



series of Diurnal insects belonging to other Orders. No doubt if the flax trade in- 

 creases, "flax grounds will increase also," but the working of the land alone for 

 this or any other purpose, by modifying the native flora, acts sufliciently to diminish 

 the numbers of some species and wholly extirpate others. The repeated cutting of 

 the flax as soon as the blades are ready, gives no time for the plant to flower, which 

 is of no importance to the flax miller, as the propagation and increase of the plant is 

 obtained by division of the roots, but apart from these simple causes, which are 

 working inevitable changes on our Lepidopterous fauna, there are others which, with 

 our limited knowledge of the subject, are quite inexplicable at the present time, 

 while, owing to the introduction of many valuable and many worthless plants, much 

 of the indigenous flora has become greatly modified, and in some districts much has 

 become extinct, and with it some of the species depending on it for their pabulum 

 or other subsistance ; the rule, however, in our own district is not applicable to all, 

 as there are other species who are fitted to survive the changed order of things, and 

 excepting that no other cause operates to keep them in check, they adopt new food 

 and environment and become dominant species. The case of M. deprivalis is one 

 strongly in point. 



As a general rule it is much easier to " state positively " than it is to prove 

 ahsohdely ; on this account I maintain that no scientific critic should pronounce any 

 article as " wholly based on error,' on " incredible," because he may not " have 

 heard of it." I do not consider any " case " or " phenomenon " occurring among 

 New Zealand Micro-Lepidoptera to be in the least incredible, as so exceptionally 

 little is known of the larvae and habits of tlie group. My notes were never meant 

 to apply to recent times, at least only so far as the habits of M. deprivalis are at the 

 present time concerned, nor were they meant to imply that the larvae of many of our 

 finest species were confined to flax grounds, or the flax itself ; I stated explicitly 

 that the grounds were among the best for collecting Nocturnal Lepidoptera during 

 the months when the Phormium was in bloom. — Id., Ashburton, New Zealand : 

 May 15th, 1890. 



Geotrupes Typhaus near Castle Douglas. — I am glad to be able to re-instate 

 Geotrupes Typhceus on the Scottish list. I found a dead c? , still quite fresh, near 

 this, a few days ago. G. Typhmus seems to have been taken by the Misses Lyell in 

 Forfarshire many years ago, as recorded in " Entomologia Edinensis," and also in 

 Murray's Catalogue ; but it was omitted in Dr. Sharp's List in the " Scottish 

 Naturalist," and there is no Scottish record in Canon Fowler's " Coleoptera of the 

 British Islands."— W. D. R. Douglas, Orchardton, Castle Douglas, N.B. : May 

 Z\st, 1890. 



Badister peltatus, Panz., in the Hastings district. — On June 2nd, while hunting 

 in the Marshes near Eye, I took a single specimen of Badister peltatus under re- 

 jectamenta on the side of a brackish ditch. Further search at the time failed to 

 procure any more ; but I hope to have an opportunity of looking for the species 

 again soon. On the same day I took a few specimens of Bledius crassicollis, two 

 Aotohius signaticornis , and a single specimen of Limnichus pygmcBus. — W. H. 

 Bennett, 11, George Street, Hastings : July, 1890. 



