136 



Dr. Shortland adds that he has often placed Katipoes on his hand, of 

 both sexes and all ages, and never was bitten, from which he infers 

 that they do not bite unless hurt. There is a case given by Dr. Trim- 

 nell, on the authority of the resident magistrate of kelson (Mr. Bishop), 

 of the death of a child. The fact is beyond doubt, but the particulars 

 are not given. 



The Eev. Mr. Meek gives a very circumstantial accou of his son's 

 case, and, as it is a curious one, I may here state that the reverend 

 gentleman's word is beyond doubt. Dr. Mohbeer was also in attend- 

 auce. It must be severely condensed. Bite on shoulder, "excruciating" 

 pain ; pain found its way down to the groins, then up the spine and 

 into arms and chest ; moaned with pain day and night ; patient very 

 strong and healthy young man. " I never saw any one in such agony 

 in all my life "5 veins very much swelled; wound punctured, ammonia 

 injected, turnip poultice applied ; " when removed, quantity of black 

 matter exuded; when legs rubbed, quantity of inky-black fluid emitted;" 

 severe pains lasted three or four days; depression not over after a 

 month ; treated with frequent doses of brandy. 



Mr. Meek adds that fatal cases are frequent amongst the natives in 

 his district. Besides these I have many other similar cases, and 

 amongst those that have not been published otherwise are one of a girl 

 and one of an old man suffering severely, much in the same way; am- 

 monia and spirits were used and recovery took place in about a week. 

 One case of a boy is recorded who did not recover for many months, and 

 never perfectly. Several there are of women bitten in the legs and abdo- 

 men, seized with cold and shivering and suffering great pains generally 

 for three or four days, and then taking a month to recover, and there is 

 one of a woman which proved fatal, and another of another woman who^ 

 brought in apparently dying, was taken with the usual symptoms of nar- 

 cotic poisoning, but who recovered, although treated with nothing but 

 doses of laudanum. I must say, however, that from my knowledge of 

 natives, some of the primary symptoms are not improbably cause*? by 

 intense fear, as they have a terrible dread of the Katipo; but this ob- 

 servation would not apply to the white man. 



A CATERPILLAR DAMAGING THE CORK-TREE. 



We learn in a roundabout way (through the Consular Report of the 

 Province of Victoria) that the cork-tree in the Province of Cataluna, 

 District of Gerona, Spain, has recently been suffering from the attacks 

 of an undetermined larva, which in a few days strips a tree of its leaves, 

 giving it the appearance of having been burnt. The caterpillar first 

 made its appearance in the woods of Llagostera in 188G, and has rapidly 

 increased in numbers. It is described as being of the size of the silk 

 worm, of a dark gray color, and covered with down, and to produce 

 u small white butterflies." 



