MEETINGS OF SOCIETIES. 47 



Leaving here first thing the following morning, we arrived at the 

 Dee Hutt. situated immediately at the foot of Tapueawaeonuku, about 

 two o'clock in the afternoon. The weather was wet and miserable, so 

 of course no work could be done that day. On Thursday, 13th, we 

 made our way for some distance up the bed of the Dee stream, but 

 found the travelling very bad. Here we only took a few specimens of 

 Chrysophanus boldenarum, which slightly differ from those from Nelson 

 and the Wairarapa ; also, two Cicada muta and a few Aclenonyx bembi- 

 dioides under stones near the stream. We then attempted to make our 

 way on to the hills, but were prevented by the precipitous sides of the 

 creek. At 11 o'clock a thick mist came up, which effectually stopped 

 all further work for the day. On Friday, 14th, we started at six 

 o'clock with the intention of collecting on some of the higher spurs of 

 the mountain. After much difficulty we succeeded in attaining an 

 elevation of 4600 feet, but the outlook from this point was so extremely 

 uninviting that I decided to return. Above 3000 feet Argyrophenga 

 antipodum occurred, as well as Cicada cassiope and Notoreas crephos, 

 besides a few Cicada muta, veer, sub-alpina. When J say that this was 

 by far the best day's collecting Ave had, and that all the above species 

 and many others may be taken in great numbers on the Dun Mountain, 

 near Nelson, the extremely unproductive nature of the locality may 

 perhaps be understood. 



During the two following days I collected in the Dee and Clarence 

 Valleys, with the result of one grasshopper, resembling very closely the 

 grey stones in the stream, A. bembidioides, Cicindela feredayi, Lyrcea 

 alectoraria, a small black Larentia sp. (?) all common and widely distri- 

 buted insects. I should also mention that the little grasshopper Calop- 

 tenus marginalis occurs in this district, in countless numbers, amongst 

 the tussock grass. 



On Monday, 17th, we returned to Coverham. Tuesday. 18th, was 

 wet, and on Wednesday we ascended the Chalk Range at the back of 

 Coverham. At 2500 feet Argyrophenga antipodum again occurred, also 

 Asop>hodes abrogia, besides a small species of Syrphus, the three last 

 being the only insects of any consequence taken during the whole 

 expedition. 



On Thursday we left Coverham, and on Friday Kekerangu, arriving 

 in Wellington at an early hour on Saturday morning. 



In conclusion I must certainly recommend future entomologists in 

 New Zealand not to visit the Inland Kaikoura mountains if they wish 

 to have a successful holiday. 



Mr. Maskell was well acquainted with this part of the country, 

 and he was not surprised to hear that it was such poor ground for the 

 collection of insects. Large fires had frequently swept the surface cf all 

 growth, and this no doubt would be unfavourable to insect life. 



Mr. Mackay thought that probably the reason why so few species 

 of insects were found in this locality was that as high and mountainous 

 country this corner of the South Island was of very recent date, and it 

 might be that many species had not yet found their way into the region 

 in question, or had been there for so short a time that by evolution 

 fresh species had not as yet made their appearance. 



