1921 .] 
Natural-history Notes. 
265 
River—that is, probably, east of Waiouru and north of Moawhango 
Township. 
Logania depressa is described as a small woody prostrate shrub with rigid interlaced 
pubescent branches. The leaves are opposite, connected by a sheath, } in. to in. 
long, coriaceous, veinless, linear-obovate to oblong, obtuse. Flowers numerous, small, 
white, axillary, pedicelled, bracteate, solitary or in 3-5-flowered panicles ; male flowers 
only are present on the specimens collected. The sepals are oblong, obtuse, and ciliate 
Corolla about equal to the calyx in length, the petals united into a tube for half their 
length, lobes 5, rounded, throat bearded. Stamens 5, inserted near the base of the 
corolla-tube, alternating with the lobes; filaments filiform, anthers large, slightly 
exserted, 2 cleft for half their length. Style short clavate, stigma oblong thick. 
The interest of Logania depressa 
lies in its relationships. If it is 
correctly classified as a Logania it 
is the only member of the genus 
present in New Zealand. Logania 
includes twenty other species, all 
confined to Australia, and of these 
thirteen are found in Western Aus¬ 
tralia, nine being limited to that 
State. On the assumption that the 
centre of dispersal of a genus is the 
region in which its greatest develop¬ 
ment occurs, it would be inferred 
that Logania originated in Western 
Australia and has spread thence to 
the eastward. On this hypothesis 
the New Zealand species would be 
the descendant of a straggler which 
accidently crossed the Tasman Sea 
from Australia. 
The Feeding-habits of Hemiptera, by J. G. Myers, F.E.S., Biology 
Section, Department of Agriculture. 
The rearing of the Pentatomid bug Rhopalimorpha obscura Dali, last 
season gave me an excellent opportunity to study the feeding-habits of 
these insects. 
Both imagines and nymphs were feeding on the full-grown but unripe 
and “ milky ” seeds of cocksfoot ( Dactylis glomerata), which they reached 
by piercing the enclosing glumes. 
The insect might be repeatedly watched as it walked slowly over a 
head of cocksfoot, stopping here and there to feel the surface with the 
extreme tip of the rostrum. Finally a place was found suitable for its 
operations, then the insect stood still, and one saw its head approach 
closer and closer to the point of application of the rostrum. The boring 
was a very gradual process. As the setae gradually worked their way 
into the tissues the four-jointed sheath first curved somewhat and then bent 
back at the first proximal joint, while its apex still supported the slender 
setae at the point of entry. Finally, as these latter bored deeper and 
obtained a firm hold, the sheath was suddenly drawn back and laid along 
the venter, in the position of repose which it occupies when the whole 
mouth-parts are out of action. Its function is over for the time being : 
Fig. 2. —Logania depressa Hk. f. Copy 
of analysis in the Kew Herbarium. 
