HuTTON. — On the Geographical Relations of the N.Z. Fauna. 247 



Tinsuitableness of climate, for tlie honey-bee [Apis mellijica) which was intro- 

 duced about thirty years ago, has spread over both Islands/^ 



The Diptera are more numerous than the Hymenoptera, sixty species being 

 known. This is just oj)posite to what obtains in most countries, including 

 Australia and South America. Of these Tipula senex is found in Australia ; 

 Musca taitensis in Polynesia ; and Musca Icemica in both Australia and 

 Polynesia. Although most nearly allied to Australia, our dipterous fauna 

 must have been derived from other localities as well, for the genns Diphysa 

 occurs only in Mexico and Brazil ; Actinavn Europe; Gcenosia, and Sapromyza 

 in Europe and North America ; and Opomyza in Europe and the Mauritius. 

 No genus is endemic. Of the earwigs we possess one endemic species {For- 

 jicula littorea), found only near the sea shore. 



Of the Lejndoptera I know hardly anything, and prefer waiting until 

 Mr. Fereday has published his promised descriptions of the species, before 

 examining their bearing on the present subject. But one fact stands out 

 prominently, viz., that out of more than three hundred species, only eight 

 belong to the butterffy section (Fereday, Trails. N.Z. Inst. TV., p. 217), and 

 of these several are world-wide stragglers. 



Of Neuroptera about fifteen species are known. Of these, Perla 02ip)osita is 

 found in Tasmania ; and our representative of the white ants {Calotermes 

 insularis) in Australia. This order appears to have more affinity with 

 Tasmania than with Australia, and it is remarkable that the wide spread genus 

 Perla, which is found throughout North and South America, and from Europe 

 through India to China and Japan, is also found in New Zealand and Tas- 

 mania, but not in Australia. Leptocerus has also the same range, with the 

 exception of not being known in China and Japan. Hermes extends from. 

 India to China and Java ; it is ako found in tropical Africa and South 

 America, but not in Australia nor Tasmania. Palingenia is found in Europe, 

 India, North Africa, and North and South America ; while Philanisus is 

 peculiar to New Zealand. The Heteroptera are remarkable for their fragmen- 

 tary character, and wide distribution. The thirteen known species belong to 

 thirteen dijEFerent genera, and nine families. Arma schellembergii is found in 

 Australia and the Philippine Islands ; Cermatulus nasalis in Australia and 

 Tasmania ; Platycoris immarginatus and Rhaphigaster amoyti in Australia ; 

 Lygans pacijicus in Australia, Tasmania, and India ; and Nysius zealandicus 

 in Tasmania ; thus leaving not more than seven endemic species, three of which 

 have not yet been properly examined, and may therefore be found to be 

 identical with species inhabiting other countries. One of tbe endemic species 

 {Rhopalimorpha obscura), however, belongs to a genus found nowhere else. 



* Mr, "W. T. L, Travers informs me that the honey-bee was introduced into Nelson in 

 1842, and that wild bees were common in 1850. 



