ill New Zealand. 
267 
coloured, with elegantly disposed lozenge-shaped gold 
spots; whilst others were adorned with alternate stripes 
of black and ultra-marine. Of the beautiful genus Bu - 
prcstis , too (or some very nearly allied genus), I gained 
several specimens; some of which were abundant on 
the fragrant Bracophyllum, allured, doubtless, by the 
scent and honey; the moment, however, you attempted 
to take one, down he would let himself drop as if dead. 
The greater number of the insects I obtained were quite 
new, and belonged to genera unknown to me. 
Towards evening I arrived in the neighbourhood of 
the Rotorua Lakes. Crossing a deep bog, I discovered 
a very peculiar little leafless monopetalous plant grow¬ 
ing in, or rather on, the surface of the mud. On nearing 
Rangiwakaaitu, the first and southernmost lake, I was 
much gratified with the truly lovely appearance of a 
very beautiful species of Leptospermum ; a small tree 
of from 15 to 25 feet in height, which flourished here, 
growing in clumps and rows as if artificially planted. 
These trees were literally laden with a profusion of 
beautiful blossom, and, from there being no underwood 
about them, not so much as a tuft of grass, looked con¬ 
spicuously charming. Another circumstance appeared 
to me as being singular, there not being any small or 
young plants of the species to be met with; all were 
old trees of many years growth. I say, old, because 
the Leptospermum is a slow-growing plant. Beneath 
them grew a curious woolly-looking white moss, which, 
though I sought assiduously, 1 could not detect bearing 
any fructification. We had arranged to make Tara- 
wera (the second lake where some natives resided) our 
halting-place for this night, but, although we had no¬ 
thing to eat, we were so excessively tired as to be 
