250 Transactions. — botany. 



the pretty Pyronotaf estiva, metallic above, hairy below, is found in profusion 

 on the inflorescence of Leptospermums. * '■' * The Buprestidse (A.E.W., 

 1 sp.) and Elateridfe (A.E.W., about 12 species) about 80 species, are -wood- 

 feeders in the larval state, but when perfect insects occasionally visit flowers. 

 Nearly all the Dascillidae do so too, and must, being hairy, render important 

 services. * '^' * All the Melandryadte and Mordelhae frequent flowering 

 shrubs ; one insect — Selenopalpus cyaneus — is never found away from them, 

 chiefly ti-tree ( Cordyline australis) ; but I once noticed numbers of this species 

 on grass when in blossom. The Curculionidse, an extensive family, in most 

 cases having scaly or hairy clothing, to a great extent aid the seeding of 

 flowers. The species of Eugnoimis are very partial to the lawyer (Rubus 

 australis) when in bloom. Altogether about 40 species of the Erirhinidse 

 may be found on most of the indigenous flowering shrubs. Apion metro- 

 sideros confines itseK almost exclusively to the pohutukawa (Metrosideros 

 tomentosa). Oropterus coniger lives entirely on the native fuchsia (F. 

 excorticata). The Longicornia are wood-feeders, but often visit flowers. 

 Zorion viimUum confines itself almost exclusively to flowers. Some, but 

 not all the Phytophaga, are found on flowering plants. Arnomus hrouni, 

 though very rare, is generally found on Lcptosperjnum ; 11 species of the 

 genus Colaspis (A.E.W., 2 sp.), usually found in abundance, frequent the 

 inflorescence of many shrubs." It will be noticed h-orn these quotations 

 that Captain Broun's observations are made on North Island plants. Had 

 we similar observations continuously made on the flora of other parts, and 

 particularly of mountain districts, we should soon be able to solve many 

 problems which are very obscure at present. Hymenoptera (A.E.W., only 

 a score of species) are very poorly represented, the only flower-visitants 

 being 10 species of bees. The Orthoptera probably do not visit flowers ; 

 but many of the Hemiptera-Heteroptera do, only as no attempt has been 

 systematically made to catalogue them yet, I am in utter ignorance as to 

 the number of species. Prof. Hutton informs me that the following flower- 

 visiting species are very abundant in individuals, viz., Anuhis vittatus, 

 Bhopalimorpha obscura, Nysius liuttovi, and N. zealandicus. The most 

 important flower-visiting order in New Zealand is probably, however, the 

 Diptera (not noticed by Wallace). Only about 100 species have been 

 described, but this. Prof. Hutton informs me, is probably only about one- 

 tenth of the whole number. As far as I can make out, the Diptera depend 

 chiefly on scent in their search for food, and certainly this would explain 

 the fact of their being the sole fertilizers of many inconspicuous or green 

 flowers, as Tiqjeia antarctica and various species of Pterostylis, etc. I was 

 formerly of opinion that the part apparently taken by the New Zealand 

 Diptera in this work of fertilization was quite an exceptional case, and that 



