Gillies. — Notes on some Changes in the Fauna of Otago, 313 



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thicket of herbage, principally fern, tutu, and flax, and before this was 

 burnt you could not lie down or go amongst it anywhere without being 

 covered with fleas. Great differences of opinion used to exist as to whether 

 these fleas were the true genuine flea fPulex irritans), and there is no doubt 

 they were not so active nor so bloodthh'sty and irritating as their brethren, 

 which infested all domiciles alike. About these latter there was no room 

 for doubt, for there was no lack of energy about them, and no difference in 

 their bloodthirsty predatory habits. I remember, on one occasion, camping 

 out close to the west end of the West Taieri Bush, and after a night of 

 energetic wakefulness following on a day of .weary travel on foot with a 

 heavy swag, killing hundreds of them in our blankets when we turned out 

 in the morning. More than once I have seen, on entering a hut that had 

 been shut up for a few hours, one's white moleskin trousers become gradually 

 blacker and blacker with the innumerable fleas that swarmed on to the white 

 object on the floor. The same kind friend to whom I have akeady alluded, 

 sends me the following on this subject: — "In confirmation of what you say 

 about the fleas, I may state that in the summer of 1856-57 I was one of 

 several occupants of a bark hut on an island in the Molyneux Eiver. The 

 floor of the hut was the greyish-blue sand which is everywhere to be seen 

 on the banks of the river, and it formed an excellent harbour for the fleas, 

 which were exceedingly abundant and very troublesome. On one occasion, 

 being cook for the day, I became so irritated by thek bites when I was 

 working before the fire that I took off my canvas trousers, turned them out- 

 side in and ran my two thumb nails along the lining, destroying all that did 

 not jump away. The tally of slaughtered ones was seventy -six, but many 

 more than that must have escaped. An hour after my anathemas were once 

 more both loud and deep." I could recall many circumstances to prove 

 how extremely prevalent the fleas then were, but it would extend this paper 

 to an undue length, and I believe it is quite unnecessary, as the fact will 

 not be questioned. After the rough herbage, especially the fern, was burnt 

 once or twice this insect pest almost disappeared, or at any rate became 

 confined to its legitimate purpose in nature, that of a punishment for the 

 want of cleanly household habits. I am not aware that anything else has 

 taken the place occupied by this insect in the economy of nature, but its 

 extinction (or reduction rather within proper bounds) has been brought 

 about not by competition with other forms, but by the agency of fire. 



The Aphis lanifera, or American blight on apple trees, is an insect which 

 was quite unknown here for many years after the settlers had gardens ; but 

 when it first appeared, which I think must have been about fifteen or 

 twenty years ago, it spread everywhere with most marvellous rapidity. 

 So also did another insect of the same kind, which attacked the large 



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