302 Transactions. — Zoology. 



example of this apparent resemblance between tlie two orders. I possess a 

 few specimens of Frioscelida tenehrionides, White, but have never taken it in 

 Canterbury. Two species of Cilibe and two of Opat^'um have also been 

 described from New Zealand. I have found a Mordella (probably antarctica) 

 at Little River, and have a specimen of Mordella lO-guttata, but do not 

 know in what part of these islands it was taken. The singular family 

 Meloldce, or oil-beetles, appears to be unrepresented in this colony. Two 

 species of Selenopalpus described by White, and belonging to the same family 

 as the beautiful (Edemera ccerulea of Britain, would seem to be worthy of 

 notice, but I am only acquainted with one of them. 



We now enter the Rhynchophora, or weevils, a section well represented in 

 New Zealand, where some species are to be found finer than any of the 

 British. Although I am not aware of any member of the remarkable family 

 Brentidce having been taken in Canterbury I cannot pass it over in silence, as 

 it is the most characteristic one amongst the Coleoptera of New Zealand. 

 These insects are easily recognized by their enormous snouts, and one species 

 at least {Lasiorhynchus harhicornis) is common at Wellington, and occurs also, 

 I believe, in Nelson. I am not well acquainted with the exotic species, but a 

 few which I possess from Mexico are much inferior to ours. Amongst the 

 Curculionidce the largest species I know of has been taken by Mr. Fereday on 

 black-birch trees. It belongs to the genus Ehyncodes, and another large species 

 [Rhyncodes saundersii) has been found by the same gentleman on "Spaniards" 

 (Aciphylla) at the Bakaia. I am not able to enter into details respecting the 

 numerous smaller species of this family, but the curious genus ScolopAerus 

 deserves a passing notice. S. penicillatus has been taken by Dr. Powell, I 

 believe, at Governor Bay, and I have found the same insect at Amuri. 



We now enter upon an important section, the members of which may be 

 easily recognized even by those who have paid no attention to entomology. 

 The Longicornes are, for the most part, wood-feeders, and the coleopterist 

 would naturally expect to find them abundant in so densely timbered a 

 country as some parts of New Zealand. Nor will he, on the whole, be 

 disappointed, although our species can scarcely be said to equal those of 

 Britain. To this group belongs the largest beetle found in these islands, 

 Rrlonoplios reticularis, a species which is abundant throughout their whole 

 extent. I hardly need mention that the larvae of this beetle used to form an 

 important article of diet amongst the Maoris, but it is interesting to note that 

 a similar grub was considered a dainty by the ancient Romans, and that one 

 of their patrician families received its name therefrom. Linnceus, indeed, . 

 applied the word " cossus " to the larva of the goat-moth, but it is now 

 generally admitted that tlie larva in question must have been coleopterous. 

 These insects undoubtedlv live in the wood for several vears before assuming 



