154 Transactions. —Zoology. 
Rome, I am unable to detect any difference. I feel certain, therefore, that 
this cosmopolite devourer has found its way to New Zealand. I find that a 
species of Dermestes, from this country—D.carnivorus (versicolor, Castelnau)— 
was long ago described by Fabricius, but I have never seen it, or even its 
description. The genus Dermestes was first established by Linnzus (Syst. 
Nat. Ed., 12, IL, p. 561), and its characteristics may be found in Lacordaire, 
Vol. IL, p. 461. From the same author I gather that the insects of this 
genus, in all their stages, live principally upon animal substances, apparently 
giving preference to those which are partly desiccated, but that in other 
respects their taste is so little exclusive that they may be considered almost 
omnivorous. Placed in favourable circumstances they multiply with great 
rapidity, and become exceedingly troublesome. Most of them have a very 
extended geographical distribution, so much so that it is often difficult to 
determine their true country. The other insect which I have to notice is а 
much larger and more conspicuous one. 
In the early part of the same month a daughter of Mr. Tully, of Middleton, 
near Christchurch, found a very remarkable Beetle upon the wall of his 
cow-shed. The insect was forwarded to Mr. Fereday, and by him kindly 
given to me. From the brilliancy of its markings, so different to the dull and 
sombre hues which generally characterize the fauna of New Zealand, we at 
once concluded that our specimen was a visitor from Australia, and upon 
comparing it with some Victorian types in the Christchurch Museum, we 
found its name to be Phoracantha recurva. The genus Phoracantha belongs 
to the remarkable family of Coleoptera, Longicornia, and contains many large 
and handsome species much superior to the one under consideration. All its 
members are wood-borers, so it is easy to account for the introduction of any 
of them into the Province. Probably our specimen arrived in some of the 
timber imported for the railway, near which it was found. Considering the. 
constant traffic between Australia and New Zealand, the appearance in the 
latter country of Dermestes and Phoracantha is in no way remarkable, being, 
in fact, just what might have been expected ; but it is most important that 
the first appearance of all new species should be accurately noted and placed 
on record. 
The genus Phoracantha, with the exception of one species which occurs in 
New Caledonia, is peculiar to Australia. Its name was first established in 
1840, by Newman (Ann. of Nat. Hist., V., p. 19), and its characteristics may 
also be found in Lacordaire, * Genera des Coléoptéres," Vol. VIIL, p. 303. 
Dieffenbach (Vol. IL, p. 278) mentions a Phoracantha dorsalis as occurring in 
New Zealand, but I know nothing more of it, 
