COLEOPTERA 287 



Family Trogositidje 



Tenebrioides mauritanicus, Linn. 



Captain Hutton records this species under the name of Trogosita 

 mauritanica, as occurring in New Zealand before 1870. Mr W. W. 

 Smith (1919) reports it as common about New Plymouth. A sunshine- 

 loving beetle, found on dry walls, etc. 



Family CucujiD>iE 



Silvanus surinamensis, Linn. 



This cosmopolitan beetle is recorded in the Index (1903). It is 

 being continuously introduced into New Zealand. It is common in 

 all large dry-goods stores. It has recently been found in Quaker 

 Oats, and other grain preparations, especially those from the United 

 States. 



Silvanus unidentatus, Fabr. 



An European species, recorded in the Index (1903). 



Family Coccinellidje 

 Coccinella ii-punctata, Linn. Common Ladybird 



Taken by Mr Hudson on top of the Tinakori Range, Wellington, 

 in February, 1889 ; also recorded by him as swarming about the cairn 

 on the top of Mount Enys (Castle Hill, West Coast road) at an 

 elevation of 7200 ft. above sea-level on 9th January, 1893. Writing 

 in 1896 Captain Broun stated that in previous years he had dis- 

 tributed colonies of this insect throughout the Waikato district. It 

 is common now in Taranaki (April, 19 19) and appears to be pretty 

 universally distributed throughout New Zealand. 



This species is a valuable help to the farmer and gardener, as 

 it devours the aphides which attack turnips, cabbage, grain, garden 

 plants and fruit trees. It does not confine itself to any one species, 

 but eats most species of aphides. Hilgendorf states that as a rule it 

 is not sufficiently numerous to do much good, but that occasionally 

 it is abundant. 



Coccinella californica, Mannh. 



According to the report of the Agricultural Department for 

 1899 this species of ladybird was introduced from America by A. 

 Koebele. 



Philpott says (19 17): "Neither this nor any of the succeeding six 

 species seem to have spread to Southland, or at least to the neigh- 

 bourhood of Invercargill." 



