796 SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS OP NEW ZEALAND. [Summary of Results. 



these three genera evidently indicates a former land continuity between the main- 

 land and these subantarctic islands." I have pointed out (p. 602) that two fresh- 

 water species of crustaceans {Idotea lacustris and Chiltonia mihiwaka) which occur in 

 New Zealand are found in Campbell Island, and the latter also in Auckland Island, 

 where the former probably also exists, though it has not yet been recorded from 

 that locality; also that there are three species of terrestrial Isopods {Trichoniscus 

 thomsoni, Oniscus punctatus, and Cubans rugulosus) common to New Zealand and 

 the Auckland Islands; that the last one also extends as far as Campbell Island; 

 and that the evidence thus afforded for former land connection is strengthened 

 by the distribution of the land and shore hoppers, and of the genera Deto and 

 Scyphoniscus, which have closely allied species in New Zealand and in the 

 islands. 



Among the insects there are many wingless forms and forms with reduced wings, 

 as might naturally be expected on islands so much exposed to violent gales. Wing- 

 less forms are described among the Coleoptera, the Diptera, and the Hymenoptera. 

 Some of the birds, too, such as the snipe, are poor fliers. 



In his general remarks on the Coleoptera Major Broun points out (p. 80) that 

 the bulk, ornamentation, and structure of a large proportion of species lead to the 

 belief that their progenitors originated and flourished in some large, if not con- 

 tinental, area enjoying a climate very different from the inclement one that now 

 prevails. The large number of genera confined to the islands seems to point to their 

 isolation during a considerable period ; but the existence of five genera, all but one 

 apterous, confined to New Zealand and the islands, and the relationship of a number 

 of others to New Zealand forms, seem to necessitate previous land connection. 



Several of the other insects are identical with species from New Zealand — e.g., 

 the weta on the Snares, &c. ; fresh-water fishes are found both in the islands and 

 in New Zealand ; the spiders show relationship to those of New Zealand ; land 

 planarians and nemerteans of the same genera as those in New Zealand are present, 

 and one of the Auckland Island land planarians is a variety of a widespread and 

 variable New Zealand species. Further evidence in the same direction could readily 

 be obtained from other groups of animals and from the plants, but the facts thus 

 briefly referred to will be sufficient to prove that these islands are not oceanic islands, 

 but once formed part of a continental area connecting them with the present main- 

 land of New Zealand. 



With regard to Macquarie Island much less is known, and the evidence is not 

 quite so clear ; but, although it is probably separated from Auckland Island by a 

 greater depth of the ocean, there is considerable evidence in favour of its having 

 formed part of this continent ; thus, the land-slug Athoracophorus huttoni is found 

 at the Snares and also on Macquarie Island, and A. martensi is found on Auckland 

 Islands and on Macquarie Island. Among the earthworms the genus Notiodrilus is 

 represented by several species — two on the Snares, another one widely distributed on 

 the Auckland Island group, a third in Campbell Island, and a fourth in Macquarie 

 Island — and the differences between the Macquarie Island species and some of the 

 others, though apparently constant, seem to be slight. Similarly among the spiders 

 we have the genus Myro represented by one species from Macquarie Island and two 

 others from the Snares ; and various plants, such as Stilhocarpa polaris, Cotula 

 plumosa, Pleurophyllum Hookeri, Colobanthus muscoides, Coprosma repens, Poa 



