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ZOOLOGY, 145 
the temperature several degrees below the freezing point, not at all 
affected by the chilling cold which had killed many other insects 
on the mountains in tbis unusually severe winter. 
The weta (Deinacrida heteracantha), belonging to the order 
Orthoptera, is another inhabitant of the forests or manuka groves ; 
it is a very ugly looking animal, and often of a large size. We 
found them often in and near our tents, coming from the wood 
which we burnt, or from the collected manuka bark used for bed¬ 
ding. Although my men, and especially the natives, were rather 
afraid of them, because it is said that a bite from their strong 
jaws instantly draws blood, I never saw them do it, notwith¬ 
standing they had sometimes selected disagreeable spots for their 
retirement, as,.for instance, in empty shoes. 
No large myriapode came within my observation, and the few 
ants which we met with occasionally were never troublesome, 
ihere are none which build nests, and it seems that they form 
only small colonies in hollow or rotten trees. I observed many 
flies and other small insects in the plains as well as in the 
mountain regions, and a wide field is open in New Zealand for the 
naturalist to study the innumerable inhabitants belonging to the 
lower classes of animal life, which enliven the vast wildernesses of 
these islands. 
Having been always occupied with the principal object of my 
mission, I could only make observations occasionally in the exten¬ 
sive department of natural history, and I have therefore to ask 
indulgence, as I give only such scanty remarks under this head. 
I would not have departed from the special object of my mission 
even so far as 1 have done, did I not think it would perhaps in¬ 
duce some naturalist to come here and make fuller investigations, 
which would amply repay him for his time and trouble. 
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