266 : Transactions. —Zoology. 
inclined to believe they are of nocturnal habit, but it is just possible that 
the experience of other collectors may prove my conjecture to be erroneous. 
A species I possess from Canterbury, belonging to Rhysotrogus, I have not 
succeeded in finding as yet. 
Of Lucanida, I cut one fine specimen out of a partially decayed Kowhai 
tree, near Stokes’ Point, and subsequently two others out of rotten branches 
of a tree I could not identify, in a clearing on the East Coast. I suspect 
these are specimens of Dendroblax earlianus, but hesitate asserting this with 
confidence. Lalso obtained two other species out of Tupakihi, one of which 
has antenne of unusual development, Coriaria sarmentosa seems to be the 
habitat of these two species, as I have frequently found them embedded in 
its decayed wood, in different localities, but never anywhere else, and am 
inclined to think that both species are new to science. I also possess a 
couple of specimens of Lissotes reticulatus, and of another species ( Cerstog- 
nathus helotoides), which terminates the catalogue of the endemic Lucanide 
of New Zealand, so far as I am acquainted with them. Dynastide furnish 
my cabinet with three species—Pericoptus truncatus, P. punctatus, and one 
smaller insect unnamed—the two former are identical as to species with. 
others from Canterbury, but are somewhat larger ; the third which was_ 
given to me by Mr. Wakefield, of Christchurch, I have never found in this 
Province. I saw one specimen of Pericoptus on the wing in January last, 
and was greatly annoyed at being unable to capture it, owing to a severe 
cut on one of my feet; the larve I have occasionally found buried in sand 
on the beach under kelp and logs. Of the habits of these insects, respect- 
ing which so little is known, I can only surmise that they live principally 
in burrows deep in the sea shore, and only appear above it by night. 
When overtaken by gales of wind, being bulky, heavy insects, they succumb, 
and thus are found in numbers strewed along the beach, dead, and generally 
mutilated. 
The fact of their being seen by different observers under precisely 
similar circumstances, I can account for in no other way, and venture 
to assert my belief that further investigation will bear out my view of the 
case ; however, I intend to pursue a systematic course, in order to ascer- 
tain, if possible, something more definite regarding their peculiar habits. 
STERNOXI. 
This section exhibits thirty-eight species in my collection, only two of 
which are identical with others which occur in Canterbury, whilst there are 
three others from that Province which I have never seen in Auckland. 
These insects vary in size from one line to an inch, the largest, Elater 
zealandicus, I cut out of a decayed Kowhai tree. I collected nineteen species 
in the vicinity of Auckland in the course of some three years, and as I 
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