298 Transactions. — Zoology. 



necessity which exists for a latin classification, I may mention that in 

 Wellington these beetles are generally called, absurdly enough, "New Zealand 

 bees." The larva inhabits deep burrows excavated in the sand, and almost 

 every steep bank in the province is perforated by them. The habits of the 

 larvae and perfect insect are similar, both being equally fierce, and exclusively 

 carnivorous. 



Proceeding next to the numerous and important family of the Carahidce 

 we shall find that we have but one species at all worthy of comparison with 

 the twelve fine species of Carahus which are found in the mother country. 

 The splendid genus Calosoma is, so far as I know, totally wanting. The same 

 may be said of the beautiful CalUstus and Drypta^ and the curious Brachinus. 

 Indeed, I may take this opportunity of remarking that although the New 

 Zealand insects in many cases closely resemble English ones, yet this resem- 

 blance is almost always to small and dull coloured species, and hardly ever 

 to the fine or conspicuous ones. The large beetle to which I have alluded 

 above is Feronia australasio} ? It is about an inch long, of a bronze colour, 

 and very common in the neighbourhood of Christchurch under wood and 

 stones. Seven other species of Feronia occur in New Zealand, but, owing to 

 the loss of my collection, I cannot say how many of them I have taken in 

 Canterbury. The Islands, and probably this province, possess at least five 

 species of Anchomenus very similar to their English relatives. The genus 

 Aniara, so numerous in England, and which comprises what children call 

 " sunshiny beetles," does not occur in the " Zoology of the ' Erebus ' and 

 'Terror,'" but having taken a considerable number of specimens quite lately I 

 feel certain that either it or a closely allied genus is common in Canterbury. 

 The remarkable genus Broscus is well represented in New Zealand, but most 

 of its specimens appear to have come from Otago. I may remark that none of 

 them equal in size the single British species Broscus ceplialotes^ which is 

 usually found under stones on the sea coast. Of the extensive genus 

 Harpalus, which numbers twenty-eight species in England, I am only sure of 

 having taken a single one, H. novce-zealandice. It is abundant at certain 

 seasons of the year upon the sand-hills near Christchurch. I am not able to 

 afford any more information with regard to this important family, but I 

 may note that many of our species have been recently described by Count 

 de Castelnau in the Proceedings of the Poyal Society of Victoria, but I have 

 unluckily mislaid his paper. Farmers and gardeners will do well to observe 

 that all members of the families Cicindelidce and Carihidce, being carnivorous, 

 are extremely beneficial to them, and should on no account be destroyed, 



"We have now arrived at the interesting family of the Dytisddce, or water- 

 beetles, with which New Zealand is but poorly provided so far as the number 

 of species is concerned, though the individuals comprising them are often very 



