NATURAL HISTORY. 
643 
The Grylloptalpa, mole cricket, Honi, is a large and singular 
insect, seldom met with unless in digging, as it lives under 
ground, the chief insect of this family is the Deinacrida, 
Weta, forest cricket, which may be almost termed a giant ; 
the body being often three inches long, and its antennge 
double that length, its hind legs are more elongated than 
the fore legs, and all are armed with formidable spines, and 
enable it to seize its prey or enemy, and inflict a very severe 
wound by suddenly compressing its legs upon the offending 
object. The Weta is found in the forest amongst dead timber. 
There are several kinds of Mantis, Ro, Wairaha, green, 
red, and brown, the largest are nearly four inches long; 
the grub of the mantis lives in a beaufcifully-formed case, 
Whare Atua, constructed of small twigs, cemented together 
externally, but internally lined with the softest silk, it forms 
a perfect bag, the top drawn tight by a string, which also 
encircles the twig it feeds on, one end of the string being 
attached to the insect ; when it is at rest it sinks down into 
the bag, and its weight draws the orifice tight, when it feeds 
the string is released, the bag opens, and its head protrudes 
to feed upon the leaves. 
Fam. Neuroptera. — There are four or five kinds of dragon 
flies, the largest, Kapokapowai is often seen from four-and-a- 
half to five inches in length. In summer they frequent the 
sea-shore in great numbers, where they perish, and are seen 
stretched out on the wet sands, showing the probable way 
fossil ones found in sand stone became imbedded by some 
sudden convulsion overtaking them. There is a small red- 
bodied and a bright blue one, Kihi tara and he'kewai. 
Hymenoptera. The ant, pohorua popohorua. — There are 
several kinds, but none of them very large or numerous, 
as in Australia, where they are exceedingly troublesome. 
There are black, red, and white ants, as well as a very 
minute red one. The formicaleo, lion ant, is also met with, 
which in its size, form and habits appears to be identical 
with the European one. 
Homoptera. The cicada, Tarakihi, is everywhere met 
with in summer, and, indeed, is to be viewed as the har- 
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