GENERAL NOTES. 123 
by Mr. R. Brown at a meeting of the Canterbury Philosophical 
Institute, held on May 3,.1883. I find, however, on examination 
of a living plant, presented to our garden by Mr. Brown, and of 
a dried specimen received from Professor Hutton, that the plant 
is really the well-known Burnet, Sanguzsorba minor, Scopoli 
(Poterium Sanguisorba@, Linn.), which is a native of Europe, and 
frequently sown with grass seeds on dry sheep runs. Of course 
it can only be regarded as a naturalised plant. 
J. B. ARMSTRONG. 
Mr. S. H. Cox, assistant geologist to the Geological Survey 
of New Zealand, has been appointed Instructor in Geology, 
Mineralogy, and Mining, in the Technical College, Sydney, N. 
S.W. During the last ten years Mr. Cox has done admirable 
geological work in almost all parts of New Zealand ; of which 
his surveys of the Hokanui Hills, the north-west part of the 
province of Nelson, the Hawke’s Bay district, the Thames gold- 
fields, and the country between Auckland and Whangarei, will 
always remain in evidence. While congratulating Mr. Cox on 
his new appointment, we cannot conceal from ourselves the great 
loss geological science in New Zealand will sustain by his de- 
parture. 
PSEPHOLAX TIBIALIS (female) AND P. CORONATUS (male).— 
I have recently discovered that the above insects described as 
separate species in Captain Broun’s Manual of New Zealand 
Coleoptera are merely the male and female of one species ; coro- 
natus being the former, and zzdzalzs the latter. I had long been 
of opinion that this was the case, as the distinguishing points in 
the two described species were eminently sexual in their charac- 
ter; and, added to this, when at Palmerston North last winter, I 
frequently came across P. coronatus and tibialis in the same bur- 
rows. The accuracy of this impression, however, I have now 
conclusively proved. Having recently captured a specimen of 
each species, I confined them together in a wooden box ; after a 
short period copulation ensued, the insects remaining in connec- 
tion for upwards of two hours. The female subsequently com- 
menced tunnelling a burrow in the box doubtless for the pur- 
pose of depositing her fertilised eggs. I have the two specimens 
now preserved in my collection. I would suggest that the name 
tibialis be sunk as a synonym, andP. coronatus of White retained. 
The propriety of the name will not be affected by the fact of 
the coronet of spines being only manifested in the male, as extra 
developments of this nature are always more extravagant in this 
sex where evolution is invariably more dominant. 
GEO. VERNON HUDSON. 
Karori, Wellington, roth March 1884. 
TORPEDO RAy.—Since last I wrote respecting the breeding 
habits of this fish some more interesting information on the 
