Bates. — On the Geodephagous Coleoptera of N'ew Zealand, 297 



at Otaki, was invited one day by his master to share the afternoon meal. 

 When seated by the basket containing the food his master asked him whether 

 he would have some fish. Yes, he replied, but where did you obtain it % Ask 

 no questions, was the answer, taste and see how you like it. He did taste and 

 found it very good. When the meal was over his master told him he had eaten 

 the flesh of a lizard, but warned him never to call it anything but fish, 

 otherwise it would be impossible for him to overcome his natural repugnance 

 to it. During his residence at Otaki, Hakopa often joined in ngarara hunts, 

 when as many as forty were caught and eaten. It would appear from his 

 account, and from what other natives say, that the large lizard was formerly 

 eaten, bnt not as a common article of diet, only by those who had cultivated a 

 taste for what was generally regarded with abhorrence. By rising superior to 

 popular prejudice in this matter individuals obtained a certain notoriety in 

 the tribe, which they turned to their own advantage in other ways. 



Art. XLV. — On the Geodephagous Coleoptera of New Zealand. 



By H. W. Bates, r.L.S. 



[From the Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist, March and April, 1874.] 



It has been stated that the insect-fauna of N'ew Zealand is extremely poor, 

 and that the Coleoptera at least show great afl3.nity with those of north 

 temperate regions. With regard to the former statement, although some 

 weight ought to be attached to the unanimous complaint of collectors of the 

 general scarcity of insects, it is premature to arrive at a definite conclusion so 

 long as the islands have not been thoroughly worked. At present we know 

 scarcely anything of the productions of the central and western portions of 

 the Northern Island, or of the mountainous districts of the Canterbury 

 Province in the Southern. Although insular and, especially, oceanic faunas 

 are known to be poor, it remains to be seen whether the large area, varied 

 surface, and lofty mountain-ranges of New Zealand have not operated to check 

 the process of extinction without repopulation which has impoverished other 

 insular areas. At present the total number of species of Geodephagous 

 Coleoptera known from the islands is 89; the British Isles have 311, and 

 Japan 244. 



The belief that the New Zealand Coleopterous fauna is related to that of 

 the north temperate zone is certainly ill-founded; but it was excusable so 

 long as describers, without attempting to study the characters of the new 

 species before them, referred them recklessly to familiar northern genera, such 

 as (to cite cases from the present group) Dromius, Cymindis, Galathus, Lehia, 

 HarpaluSy etc., the species so referred having no near affinity whatever to those 



