300 
Memoranda of an Excursion 
have little doubt but that this tree will be found to rank 
in the Natural Order Sapotaceoe, and probably under 
the genus Achras. The natives call it, Tawaapou. 
At Owae I obtained a fine specimen of Scolopendra , 
measuring nearly six inches in length, and beautifully 
coloured with brown and blue. I found it beneath the 
bark of a decayed Dammara . It bit my native lad, in 
seizing it, through his thick-skinned hand, which it 
caused to bleed; neither swelling nor great pain, how¬ 
ever, followed. The wood of the Dammara (especially 
when decaying) is often found pierced with large cylin¬ 
drical holes, extending a great way into it; this is the 
work of the Larva* of some insect at present unknown 
to me. 1 have, however, several of the Larvae, which 
are large, wrinkled, and of a dirty-white colour, with a 
black head. Some measure from four to six inches in 
length, and are proportionably thick. The natives call 
them, Huhu, and consider them a great delicacy! de¬ 
vouring them greedily when roasted. Here, too, I de¬ 
tected an active little insect of the scorpion family, or 
rather (being tailless) of the genus Chelifer , Geoff. This 
small insect is about four lines in length; its body some¬ 
what oval, grey, and annulatcd; its palpi red and elon¬ 
gated, with forceps resembling a hand, which, when at 
all checked in its movements, it raises and opens in an 
attitude of defence. It runs very swiftly, and equally 
well backwards as forwards, or sideways like a crab. 
Near logs of wood and roots of trees, I noticed the 
Larva* of some species of the Myrmeleon genus, hidden 
at the bottom of their funnel-shaped cavities in the 
sand; which much resembled those of M. formicarium, 
Linn. Its body is about 4-6 lines in length, and is of 
the colour of the sand it lives in. A fine dark-coloured 
