r^^ -j^ .a»';.^-rj,A. Ai' **^ ^^ *'%#^ k.^«i^- ?H"'i:'lL*= . M ^ K !«''' J TRANSACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE 1886 VOL. XIX. Second of New Series) EDITED AND PUBLISHED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE INSTITUTE BY JAMES HECTOR, C.M.G., M.D., F.R.S. Directok Issued Mat, 1887 WELLINGTON LYON * BLAIE, PRINTERS, LAMBTON QUAY TRUBNER & CO., 57 & 59, LUDGATE HILL, LONDON E.G. ERKATA, Page 65, lines 17 and 32, for Acanthodrilis read Acanthodrilus. 94, line 22, for Fakes read Eyes. 101, line 27, for cocolorous read concolorous. 113, line 31, /or lateral read central. 162, line 29, for Debranchiata read Dibrancliiata. 162, line 38, for perouii read peroni. 166, line 9, for terrebelloides read terebelloides. 168, line 34, for Italiotidse read Haliotidse. 170, line 6, for mangei read maugei. 171, line 22, for Onchadella read Onchidella. 172, line 24, for Apliysiida read Aplysiidse. 172, line 29, for novo-zealandica read uovae-zealandiiB. 174, line 28, for lumbata read lambata. 196, last line, /or cathymetrical read bathymetrical. 197, line 31, /or quinqualoculine read quinrineloculine. 198, line 4, et seq., for W. and T. read W. and Y. CONTENTS. TEANSACTIONS I. — Zoology. PAGES. Art. I. Monograph of New Zealand Noctuina, By E. Meyrick, B.A., F.E.S. .. .. .. .. 3—40 n. On the "Honeydew" of Coccidai, and the Fungus accompanying these Insects. By W. M. Maskell, F.E.M.S. .. .. .. .. .. 41—45 III. Further Notes on New Zealand Coccidce. By W. M. Maskell, F.R.M.S. . . . . . . . . 45—49 IV. On the Freshwater Infusoria of the Wellington Dis- trict. By W. M. Maskell, F.E.M.S. .. .. 49—61 V. On New Zealand Glow-worms. By G. V. Hudson . . 62 — 64 VI. Note on a curious Double Worm. By T. W. Kirk (Geological Survey Department) . . . . 64 — 65 Vn. On Ixodes maskelli, a Parasite of the Albatross (Dio- viedea exulans). By T. W. Kirk . , . . 65—67 VIII. On the Occurrence of the English Scaly Lizard {Zootoca vivipara) in New Zealand. By T. W. Kirk . . 67 — 69 IX. Description of a new Species of Moth (Pasiphila lichenodes). By Alex. Purdie, M.A. .. .. 69 — 72 X. On new Species of Araneidea. By A. T. Urquhart . . 72 — 118 XI. On the Work of Earth-worms in New Zealand. By A. T. Urquhart .. .. .. .. 119 — 123 XII. Notes on New Zealand Earth-worms. By W. W. Smith ; communicated by Dr. Hector . . . . . . 123 — 139 XIII. A Description of the curiously-deformed Bill of a Huia {Heteralocha acutiroslris, Gould), an endemic New Zealand bird. By W. Colenso, F.R.S., F.L.S., etc. .. .. .. .. .. 140—145 XIV. A Description of a large and new Species of Orthop- terous Insect of the genus Hemideina, Walker. By W. Colenso . . . . . . . . 145—147 XV. Further Notes and Observations on the Gestation, Birth, and Young of a Lizard, a Species of Naul- tinus. By W. Colenso .. .. .. 147—150 XVI. Remarks on Palitmrus lalandii, M. Edw., and P. edwardsii, Button. By T. Jeffery Parker, B.Sc, C.M.Z.S., Professor of Biology in the University of Otago . . . . . . . . . . 150 — 155 XVII. On a new Species of Giant Cuttlefish, stranded at Cape Campbell, June 30th, 1886 (Architeuthis kirkii). By C. W. Eobson ; communicated by Dr. Hector 155 — 157 XVIII. On the Anatomy of the Limpet (Patinella radians, Quoy). ByJ. A. Newell, B.A... .. ..157—160 XIX. On the Mollusca of the Vicinity of Auckland, By T. F. Cheeseman, F.L.S., Curator of the Auckland Museum .. .. .. .. .. 161—176 32381 vi. Contents. PAGES. Art. XX. The Land Mollunca of the Thames Goldfields. By James Adams, B. A. .. .. .. .. 177—181 XXI. Description of the Little Barrier or Hanturu Island, the Birds which inhabit it, and the Locality as a Protection to them. By A. Eeisehek, F.L.S. . . 181—184 XXII. Notes on Ornithology. By A. Eeisehek .. .. 184—188 XXIII. Ornithological Notes. By A. Eeisehek . . . . 188—193 XXIV. Notes on some Moa Eemains found at the Great Barrier Island during February, 1886. By Sidney Weet- man . . . . . . . . . . 193 — 194 XXV. On a new Species of Alpheus. By T. W. Kirk . . 194—196 XXVI. Notes on some Foraminifcra from the Hauraki Gulf. By Dr. Eudolph Haeusler . . . . . . 196—200 XXVII. On the Occurrence of Junonia vellida and Deopeia ptZc/(c?/rt in New Zealand. By G. V. Hudson ,. 201 XXVIII. Descriptions of new Spiders. By P. Goyen. . . . 201—212 II. — Botany. XXIX. On some new Native Plants. By J. Buchanan, F.L.S. 213—216 XXX. On a remarkable branching Specimen of Hemitelia smithii. By J. Buchanan ., .. .. 217 XXXI. On the New Zealand Species of Coprosma. By T. F. Cheeseman, F.L.S., Curator of the Auckland Museum .. .. .. .. .. 218—252 XXXII. A few Observations on the Tree-Ferns of New Zealand ; with particular reference to their peculiar Epi- phytes, their Habit, and their manner of Growth. By W. Colenso, F.E.S., F.L.S., etc. . . _. . 252—259 XXXIII. A Description of some newly-discovered and rare in- digenous Phionogamic Plants, being a further Contribution towards making known the Botany of New Zealand. By W. Colenso . . . . 259—271 XXXIV. A Description of some newly-discovered Cryptogamic Plants, being a further Contribution towards the making known the Botany of New Zealand. By W. Colenso . . . . . . . . . . 271—301 XXXV. An Enumeration of Fungi recently discovered in New Zealand, with brief Notes on the Species Novce. By W. Colenso . . . . . . . . 301—313 XXXVI. Observations on the Glands in the Leaf and Stem of Myoporumlcetnm,FoxBter. By Catherine Alexander, B.A 314-816 XXXVII. Observations on the Development of the Flower of Coriaria ruscifoHa, Linn. By T. W. Eowe, M.A. 317—319 XXXVHI. The Medicinal Properties of some New Zealand Plants. By J. Baber, C.E. .. .. .. ..319—322 XXXIX. Descriptions of new Native Plants. By D. Petrie, F.L.S 323-324 XL. Descriptions of new Native Plants. By D. Petrie . . 325—326 III.— Geology. XLI. Narrative of an Ascent of Euapehu. By James Park, Geological Survey Department . . . . 327 — 331 XLH. Notes in reference to the Prime Causos of the Phenomena of Earthquakes and Volcanoes. By W. T. L. Travcrs, F.L.S. .. .. .. .. 331—338 XLIII. On the Cause of Volcanic Action. By J. Hardcastle. . 338—341 Contents. vii. Art.XLIV. Observations on the Eruption of Mount Tarawera, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, 10th June, 1886. By J. A. Pond and S. Percy Smith, F.B.G.S. . . . . 342—371 XLV. Notes on the Eruption of Tarawera Mountain and Botomahana, 10th Ju?:e, 1886, as seen from Taheke, Lake Botoiti. By Major W. G. Mair . . 372—374 XL VI. Thermal Activity in the Buapehu Crater. By L. Cussen .. .. .. .. .. 374—380 XL VII. Phenomena connected with the Tarawera Eruption of 10th June, 1886, as observed at Gisborne. By Archdeacon W. L. Williams .. .. .. 380—382 XL VIII. Notes on the Eruption of Tarawera, as observed at Opotiki. By E. P. Dumerque.. .. .,382—384 XLIX. Traces of Volcanic Dust-showers at Napier, Petane, and generally throughout the East Coast Districts, North of Cape Kidnappers. By H. Hill, B.A. . . 385—387 L. A Description of a Scaphites, found near Cape Turn- again. By H. Hill . . . . . . _. . 387—388 LI. Notes on the Hot Springs Nos. 1 and 2, Great Barrier Island, with Sketches showing the Temperature of the Waters. By C. P. Winkelmann . . . . 388—392 LII. On the Geology of the Trelissick or Broken Eiver Basin, Selwyn County. By Professor F. W. Button, F.G.S. .. .. .. .. 392—412 LIII. On the so-called Gabbro of Dun Mountain. By Pro- fessor F. W. Hutton . . . . . . . . 412—414 LIV. On the Geology of the Country between Oamaru and Moeraki. By Professor F. W. Hutton . . . . 415—430 LV. Note on the Geology of the Valley of the Waihao in South Canterbury. By Professor F. W. Hutton. . 430—433 LVI. The Waihao Greeusands, and their Belation to the Ototara Limestone. By Ale.x. McKay, Assistant Geologist .. .. .. .. .. 434—440 LVII. Geology of Scinde Island, and the Belation of the Napier Limestones to others in the surrounding District .. .. .. .. .. 441—448 LVIII. Notes on the Age and Subdivisions of the Sedimentary Bocks in the Canterbury Mountains, based upon the Palffiontological Eesearches of Professor Dr. C. Baron von Ettingshausen in Gratz (Austria). By Sir Julius von Haast, K.C.M.G., D.Sc, Ph.D., F.K.S.,etc. .. .. .. .. .. 449—451 LIX. Notes on the Geology of the Bluff District. By W. S. Hamilton .. .. .. .. .. 452—455 LX. On the Formation of Timaru Downs. By John Goodall, M.Inst.C.E. .. .. .. .. 455—458 IV. — Chemistry. LXI. On the Occurrence of Bismuth at the Owen, New Zea- land. By WiUiam Skey . . . . . . 459—460 V . — Miscellaneous. LXII. Address. By James Hector, M.D., President of the Wellington Philosophical Society . . . . 461— 470 LXIII. Economic Antarctic Exploration. By C. Traill ; com- municated by T. Kirk, F.L.S. . . . . . . 470—481 LXIV. The Track of a Word. By E, Tregear, F.B.G.S. . . 482- -486 viii. Contents. PAGES. LXV. Polynesian Folk-lore : " Hina's Voyage to the Sacred Isle." By E. Tregear, F.E.G.S. .. .. 486—504 LXVI. Notes on Antigone, 2-6. By Francis Haslam, M.A., Professor of Classics, Canterbury College, Christ- church .. .. .. .. .. 504—506 LXVn. A Note on Latin Place-Names. By Henry Belcher, LL.D., Eector of the High School, Otago (Boys).. 507—510 LXVIII. Transcendental Geometry : Remarks suggested by Mr. Frankland's Paper, " The Non-Euclidian Geo- metry Vindicated." By George Hogben, M.A. . . 510—515 LXIX. On "The Whence of the Maori." By W. H. Blyth ..515—549 LXX. Notes on Blasting at Ahuriri Bluff, Napier, in connec- tion with the Construction of the Breakwater. By John Goodall, M. Inst. C.E. . . . . 549—552 LXXI. The Aryo- Semitic Maori. By A. S. Atkinson ..552—576 LXXII. Kahikatea as a Building Timber. By L. J. Bagnall 577—580 NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE. Eighteenth Annual Report . . . . . . . . . , 583—585 Accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 585 PROCEEDINGS WELLINGTON PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. Note on the Occultation of Jupiter and its Satellites, 16th April, 1886, as observed at Petone, N.Z., by Dr. Hector . . . , 589 Additional Information concerning the Eruption at Rotomahana. By Dr. Hector . . . . . . . . . . 690 Fish Exhibited . . . . . . . . . . . . 590 Note on the Prime Causes of the Phenomena of Earthquakes and Volcanoes. By W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S. . . . . . . 590 On Tree Blight. By W. M. Maskell, F.R.M.S. .. .. 592 Salmon-trout from Hutt River .. .. .. .. 592 Earthquakes at Charleston . . . . . . . . . . 592 Fossils from Otago . . . . . . . . . . 592 On a Common Vital Force. By Coleman Phillips . . . . 592 Additions to Museum . . . . . . . . . . 593 Abstract of Report for 1886-87 . . . . . . . . 593 Election of Office-bearers for 1887-88 . . . . . . 593 New Method of UtiUzing Silk Cocoons. By F. W. Pennefather, LL.M. .. .. .. .. .. .. 594 Geological Specimens exhibited . . . . . . . . 594 On Trimorphism in Flowers of New Zealand Fuchsia. By T. Kirk, F.L.S. 594 AUCKLAND INSTITUTE. Anniversary Address. By the President .. .. .. 695 — 602 On Primitive Property. By Dr. Posnett . . . . . . 602 On Volcanic Dust. By Professor A. P. Thomas . . . . 602 Journey to Rotomahana and Tarawera. By Professor Thomas . . 602 Contents. IX. PAGES. Wings : A Chapter in Evolution. By Professor Thomas . . 603 New Species of Pselaphidce. By Captain T. Broun . . . . 603 The Two Theories : Evolution or Creation. By J. Buchanan . . 603 The Luminosity of Flames. By Professor Brown . . . • 603 New Species of Coleoptera. By Captain T. Broun . . • . 604 The White Terrace at Eotomahana". By J. Martin, F.Q.S. . . 605 Kecent Explorations in New Guinea. By A. J. Vogan . . . . 606 On a Salt Spring in the King Country. By Professor Brown . . 606 Abstract of Eeport for 1886-87 . . . . • . • • 607 Election of Office-bearers for 1887 . . . . . . • • 607 PHILOSOPHICAL INSTITUTE OF CANTEEBUEY. Eecent Advances in Electricity. By Professor Bickerton, F.C.S. 608 The Life and Works of Ivan Turgenieff. By Miss Lohse . . 608 The Volcanic Eruption in the North Island. By Professor Hut- ton, F.G.S. .. .. .. .. .. .. 609 What is Art, and Who are Artists ? By S. Hurst-Seager, A.E.I.B.A. .. .. .. .. .. .. 610 On Poisoning by Metallic Antimony. By Dr. W. H. Symes . . 610 Abstract of Eeport . . . . . . . . . . • • 610 Election of Officers for 1887 . . . . . . . . 610 OTAGO INSTITUTE. Lecture on the Border Ballads. By A. Wilson Lecture on the History of New Zealand. On the Structure of the Greek Theatre. Abstract of Annual Keport . . Abstract of President's Address Election of Officers for 1887 By Dr. By Dr. Hocken Belcher 611 612 612 613 613—615 615 WESTLAND INSTITUTE. Abstract of Annual Eeport . . . . . . . . . . 616 Election of Officers for 1887 . . . . . . • . 616 HAWKE'S BAY PHILOSOPHICAL INSTITUTE. Experiments in Freezing Eggs. By N. Heath .. .. 617 Occultations, and Graphic Methods of computing them . . 617 On the Marine Mollusca of the East Coast. By A. Hamilton . . 618 On the remarkable Sagacity of Small Birds. By G. Kells, of Napier . . . . . . . . . . . . 618 Experiments with Porpoise-hide . . . . . • . . 619 On the Fishes of Hawke's Bay. By A. Hamilton . . . . 619 Abstract of President's Address . . . . . . . . 619 — 620 Election of Officers for 1887 .. .. •• ... 621 SOUTHLAND INSTITUTE. Our Eemote Ancestors : Who were they ? By Dr. Galbraith St. Briavels and the Forest of Dean. I3y John McPherson Evolution. By Archdeacon Stocker Electricity as a Motive Power, and as a Lighting Agent. Highton, B.A. Optical Illusions. By Mr. Baker Heat. By Mr. Ireland Abstract of Annual Eeport . . Election of Officers for 1887 By A. 622 622 622 622 622 622 623 623 X. Contents. NELSON PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. Descrijrtion of Peripatus The Sublimities of Common Astronomical Facts Localization of Faults in Telegraphy. By J. C. Lockley Connection between Mind and Body. By Rev. E. Shears Nelson Smveying, Past and Present. By J. S. Browning PAGES. 624 62-1 624 624 624 APPENDIX. Meteorological Statistics for 1886 . . . . . . . . 631 Notes on the Weather for 1886 . . . . . . . . 632 Earthquakes reported in New Zealand during 1886 . . . . 633 Honorary Members of the New Zealand Institute . . . . 634 Ordinary Members of the New Zealand Institute . . . . 635—647 List of Institutions and Individuals to whom this Volume is presented . . , . . . . . . . , . 648—651 Alphabetical Index . . . . . . . . . . 653 Errata .. Contents . . List of Plates Board of Governors of the New Zealand Institute Abstract of Eules and Statutes of the New Zealand Institute List of Incorporated Societies Officers of Incorporated Societies, and Extracts from the Eules . ni. V. — X. xi. xiii. xiii. xvi. xvi.— xix. 'Q> V ^Q^v L I B R A R Y ro {'^\ ■^'*^^ J] LIST OF PLATES. I. II. III. IV. V. VI.A. VI.c. VI.B. VI.D. VII. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. XIV. XV. XVI. XVII. xvm. XIX. XX. XXI. XXII. XXIII. XXIV. XXV. XXVI. xxvn. XXVIII. Autlior. Maskell. — Coccidce . . Maskell and Others. — Infusoria Hudson. — Glow-worms ,, Junonia vellida KiKK, T. W.— Double Worm , . ,, Alpheus lialcsii Urqtjhaet. — Araneidea 11 II • • CoLENso. — Bill of Huia Paeker. — Falinurus ,. Newell. — Anatomy of the Limpet Buchanan. — Hemitelia smithii „ (Sections) „ Ourisia montana and Packycladon elongata „ Gastrodia hector i . . ,, Ranunculus muelleri ,, AciphyUa kirMi . . „ Celmisia robusta . . Colenso.— Tree-Ferns of New Zealand Alex^vndee. — Blyoporum Icetuvi Eowe. — Coriaria ruscifolia Weetman. — Moa Remains Winkelmann.— Great Barrier Hot Springs HuTTON.— Geology of the Trelissick Basin )) >) )i " •• „ Geology of North-Eastern Otago Hill.— Geology of Scinde Island Goodall.— Geology of the Timaru Downs ; Blasting Operations at Ahuriri Bluff, Napier . . TO face page 40 44 48 52 60 201 201 64 64 72 112 144 152 160 216 216 212 212 214 214 214 256 314 320 192 388 400 408 416 448 466 NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE. ESTABLISHED UNDER AN ACT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NEW ZEALAND INTITULED "THE NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE ACT, 18G7." Board of Governors. (ex officio.) His Excellency the Governor. | The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. (nominated.^ The Hon. W. B. D. Mantell, F.G.S., W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S., James Hector, C.M.G., M.D., F.E.S., the Ven. Arch- deacon Stock, B.A., Thomas Mason, the Hon. G. M. Waterhouse, M.L.C. (elected.) 1886.— F. B. Hutchinson, M.R.C.S., James McKerrow, F.R.A.S., T. Kirk, F.L.S. Manager : James Hector. Honorary Treasurer : Ven. Archdeacon Stock. Secretary ; R. B. Gore. ABSTRACTS OF RULES AND STATUTES.. Gazetted in the "New Zealand Gazette," 9th March, 1868. Section I. Incorporation of Societies. 1. No Society shall be incorporated with the Institute under the pro- visions of " The New Zealand Institute Act, 1867," unless such Society shall consist of not less than twenty-five members, subscribing in the aggregate a sum of not less than fifty pounds sterling annually, for the promotion of art, science, or such other branch of knowledge for which it is associated, to be from time to time certified to the satisfaction of the Board of Governors of the Institute by the Chaii'man for the time being of the Society. xiv. Neiv Zealand Imtitute. 2. Any Society incorporated as aforesaid shall cease to be incorporated with the Institute in case the number of the members of the said Society shall at any time become less than twenty-five, or the amount of money annually subscribed by such members shall at any time be less than £50. 3. The by-laws of every Society to be incorporated as aforesaid shall provide for the expenditure of not less than one-third of its annual revenue in or towards the formation or support of some local public Museum or Library ; or otherwise shall isrovide for the contribution of not less than one-sixth of its said revenue towards the extension and maintenance of the Museum and Libraiy of the New Zealand Institute. 4. Any Society incorporated as aforesaid, which shall in any one year fail to expend the proportion of revenue affixed in manner provided by Rule 3 aforesaid, shall from thenceforth cease to be incorporated with the Institute. 5. All papers read before any Society for the time being incorporated with the Institute shall be deemed to be communications to the Institute, and may then be published as Proceedings or Transactions of the Institute, subject to the following regulations of the Board of the Institute regarding publications : — Regulations regarding Publications. (a.) The publications of the Institute shall consist of a current abstract of the proceedings of the Societies for the time being incorporated with the Institute, to be intituled, " Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute," and of transactions, comprising papers read before the Incorporated Societies (subject, however, to selection as hereinafter mentioned), to be intituled, " Transactions of the New Zealand Institute." [h.) The Institute shall have power to reject any papers read before any of the Incorporated Societies. {('.) Papers so rejected will be returned to the Society before which they were read. {(l.) A proportional contribution may be required from each Society towards the cost of publishing the Proceedings and Transactions of the Institute. (e.) Each incorporated Society will be entitled to receive a proportional number of copies of the Proceedings and Transactions of the Institute, to be from time to time fixed by the Board of Governors. ( /'.) Extra copies will be issued to any of the members of Incorporated Societies at the cost price of publication. G. All property accumulated by or with funds derived from Incorporated Societies and placed in the charge of the Institute, shall be vested in the Institute, and be used and applied at the discretion of the Board of Governors for public advantage, in like manner with any other of the property of the Institute. 7. Subject to " The New Zealand Institute Act, 1867," and to the fore- going rules, all Societies incorporated with tlie Institute shall be entitled to retain or alter their own form of constitution and the by-laws for their own management, and shall conduct their own affairs. 8. Upon application signed by the Chairman and countersigned by the Secretary of any Society, accompanied by the certificate re(iuired under Rule No. 1, a certificate of incorporation will be granted under the Seal of the Institute, and will remain in force as long as the foregoing rules of the Institute are complied with by the Society. Section II. For the Management of the Property of the Inatitnte. \). All donations by Societies, Public Departments, or Private Indivi- duals to the Museum of the Institute, shall be acknowledged by a printed Abstracts of Rules and Statutes. xv. form of receipt, and shall be duly entered in the books of the Institute pro- vided for that purpose, and shall then be dealt with as the Board of Governors may direct. 10. Deposits of articles for the Museum may be accepted by the Insti- tute, subject to a fortnight's notice of removal, to be given either by the owner of the articles or by the Manager of the Institute, and such deposits shall be duly entered in a separate catalogue. 11. Books relating to Natural Science may be deposited in the Library of the Institute, subject to the following conditions : — («.) Such books are not to be withdrawn by the owner under six months' notice, if such notice shall be required by the Board of Governors. (h.) Any funds specially expended on binding and preserving such deposited books at the request of the depositor, shall be charged against the books, and must be refunded to the Institute before their withdrawal, always subject to special arrangements made with the Board of Governors at the time of deposit. (c.) No books deposited in the Library of the Institute shall be removed for temporary use, except on the written authority or receipt of the owner, and then only for a period not exceeding seven days at any one time. 12. All books in the Library of the Institute shall be duly entered in a catalogue, which shall be accessible to the public. 13. The public shall be admitted to the use of the Museum and Library, subject to by-laws to be framed by the Board. Section III. The Laboratory shall, for the time being, be and remain under the exclusive management of the Manager of the Institute. Section IV. Of Date 23ri) Septemrek, 1870. Honorary Members. Whereas the rules of the Societies incorporated under the New Zealand Institute Act provide for the election of Honorary Members of such Societies ; but inasmuch as such Honorary Members would not thereby become mem- bers of the New Zealand Institute, and whereas it is expedient to make provision for the election of Honorary Members of the New Zealand In- stitute, it is hereby declared — 1st. Each incorporated Society may, in the month of November next, nommate for election as Honorary Members of the New Zealand Institute three persons, and in the month of November in each succeeding year, one person, not residing in the colony. 2nd. The names, descriptions, and addresses of persons so nominated, together with the grounds on which their election as Honorary Members is recommended, shall be forthwith forwarded to the Manager of the New Zealand Institute, and shall by him be sub- . nutted to the Governors at the next succeeding meeting. 3rd. From the persons so nominated, the Governors may select in the first year not more than nine, and in each succeeding year not more than three, who shall from thenceforth be Honorary Members of the New Zealand Institute, provided that the total 'number of Honorary Members shall not exceed thirty. xvi. ]S!ew Zealand Institute. LIST OF INCORPOEATED SOCIETIES. NAME OF SOCIETY. DATE OF INCORPOEATION. Wellington Philosophical Society - 10th June, 1868. Auckland Institute - . . . lOtb June, 1868. Philosophical Institute of Canteebury 22nd October, 1868. Otago Institute .... igtb October, 1869. Westland Institute - . . - 21st December, 1874. Hawke's Bay Philosophical Institute - 31st March, 1875. Southland Institute ... - 21st July, 1880. Nelson Philosophical Society - - 20th December, 1883. OFFICEES OF INCORPORATED SOCIETIES, AND EXTRACTS FROM THE RULES. WELLINGTON PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. Office-bearers for 1887 : — President — F. B. Hutchinson, M.R.C.S. ; Vice-presidents— W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S., Hon. G. R. Johnson, M.L.C. ; Council— W. M. Maskell, F.M.S., A. de B. Brandon, Charles Hulke, F.C.S., A. K. Newman, M.B., M.R.C.P., R. H. Govett, F. W. Pennefather, LL.M., James Hector, M.D., CM.G., F.R.S. ; Secretar]/ mid Treasurer— R. B. Gore; Auditor — W. E. Vaux. Extracts from the Rules of the Wellington Philosophical Society. 5. Every member shall contribute annually to the funds of the Society the sum of one guinea. 6. The annual contribution shall be due on the first day of January in each year. 7. The sum of ten pounds may be paid at any time as a composition for life of the ordinary annual payment. 14. The time and place of the General Meetings of members of the Society shall be fixed by the Council and duly announced by the Secretary. AUCKLAND INSTITUTE. Office-bearers for 1887 : — President — Professor A. P. Thomas, F.L.S. ; Vice-presidents — Professor F. D. Bi-own, B.Sc, J. Pond; Council — C. Cooper, Rev. E. H. Gulliver, M.A., Hon. Colonel Haultain, E. A. Mackechnie, Major W. G. Mair, J. Martin, F.G.S., J. M. Moore, M.D., T. Peacock, M.H.R., Rev. A. G. Purchas, M.R.C.S.E., S. P. Smith, F.R.G.S., Rev. W. Tebbs ; Secretari/ and Treasurer — T. P. Checseman, F.L.S. , F.Z.S. ; Auditor— J. Eeid. Incorporated Societies. xvii. Extract from the Rules of the Auckland Institute. 1. Any person desiring to become a member of the Institute shall be proposed in writing by two members, and shall be ballotted for at the next meeting of the Council. 4. New members on election to pay one guinea entrance-fee, in addition to the annual subscription of one guinea, the annual subscriptions being payable in advance on the first day of April for the then current year. 5. Members may at any time become life-members by one payment of ten pounds ten shillings, in lieu of future annual subscriptions. 10. Annual General Meeting of the Society on the third Monday of February in each year. Ordinary Business Meetings are called by the Council from time to time. PHILOSOPHICAL INSTITUTE OF CANTERBUBY. Office-beaeers for 1887 : — President — Geo. Hogbeu, M.A. ; Vice-presidents — Professor F. W. Haslam, M.A., W. H. Symes, M.D. ; Hon. Treasurer — H. R. Webb ; Hon. Secretary — W. Din- widdie ; Hon. Auditor — C. E. Blakiston ; Council — Professor Hutton, F.G.S., E. W. Fereday, T. Crook, S. Hurst-Seager, A.E.I.B.A., Dr. J. Irving, S. C. Farr. Extracts frovi the Rules of the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury. 21. The Ordinary Meetings of the Institute shall be held on the first Thursday of each month during the mouths from March to November inclusive. 35. Members of the Institute shall pay one guinea annually as a sub- scription to the funds of the Institute. The subscription shall be due on the first of November in every year. Any member whose subscription shall be twelve months in arrear shall cease to be a member of the Institute, but he may be restored by the Council if it sees fit. 37. Members may compound for all annual subscriptions of the current and future years by paying ten guineas. OTAGO INSTITUTE. Office-bearers for 1887 : — President — F. E. Chapman ; Vice-presidents — Professor Parker, A. Wilson ; Hon. Secretary — G. M. Thomson ; Hon. Treasurer — J. C. Thomson ; Coun- cil—D. Petrie, M.A., G. M. Barr, Dr. Scott, C. Chilton, J. De Zouche, M.D., Dr. Hocken, E. Milland ; Auditor — D. Brent, M.A. Extracts from the Constitution and Rules of the Otago Institute. 2. Any person desiring to join the Society may be elected by ballot, on being i^roposed in writing at any meeting of the Council or Society by two members, and on payment of the annual subscription of one guinea for the year then current. 5. Members may at any time become life-members by one payment of ten pounds and ten shillings in lieu of future annual subscriptions. B xviii. New Zealand Institute. 8. An Annual General Meeting of the members of the Society shall be held in January in each year, at which meeting not less than ten members must be present, otherwise the meeting shall be adjourned by the members present from time to time, until the requisite number of members is present. (5.) The session of the Otago Institute shall be during the winter months, from May to October, both inclusive. WESTLAND INSTITUTE. Office-bearers for 1877 : — President — J, P. Will ; Vice- president — Kev. H. Gould; Treasurer — Jno. Nicholsou ; Com- mittee— J. N. Smyth, K. Cross, J. Elcorte, M. Atkinson ; C. F. A. Broad; M. L. Moss; G. J. Roberts, A. H. King, C. Horgan, E. B. Sammons, J. W. Souter, Captain Bignell; Secretary — Eichard Hilldrup. Extracts from the Rules of the Westland Institute. 3. The Institute shall consist: — (1) Of life-members, i.e., persons who have at any one time made a donation to the Institute of ten pounds ten shillings or upwards ; or persons who, in reward of special services rendered to the Institute, have been unanimously elected as such by the Committee or at the general half-yearly meeting. (2) Of members who pay two pounds two shillings each year. (3) Of members paying smaller sums, not less than ten shillings. 5. The Institute shall hold a half-yearly meeting on the third Monday in the months of December and June. HAWKE'S BAY PHILOSOPHICAL INSTITUTE. Office-bearers for 1887 : — President — J. Goodall ; ]'ice- president — F. W. C. Sturm ; Council — J. S. Caro, J. Hardcastle, E. C. Harding, N. Heath, H. Hill, W. I. Spencer ; Hon. Secre- tary and Curator of Museum — A. Hamilton ; Hon. Treasurer — J. N. Bowerman ; Auditor — T. K. Newton. Extracts from the Rules of the Hawke's Bay Pliilosophical Institute. 3. The annual subscription for each member shall be one guinea, payable in advance on the first day of January in every year. 4 Members may at any time become life-members by one payment of ten pounds ten shillings in lieu of future annual subscriptions. (4.) The session of the Hawke's Bay Philosophical Institute shall be during the winter months from May to October, both inclusive ; and general meetings shall be held on the second Monday in each of those six months, at 8 p.m. SOUTHLAND INSTITUTE. Office-bearers for 1887 : — President — Ven. Archdeacon Stocker ; Vice-president — A. Highton, B.A. ; Council — Messrs. Bailey, McLean, C. Tanner, Dr. Galbraith, and Dr. Closs ; Treasiirer — E. Eobertson ; Sea eta ry — E. Webber. Incorporated Societies. xix. NELSON PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. Office-bearers for 1887 : — President — J. T. Meeson, B.A. ; Vice-presidents — The Bishop of Nelson and A. S. Atkinson. Secretdri/ — Dr. Coleman; Treasurer — Dr. Hudson; Coimcil — Dr. L. Boor, J. Holloway, J. S. Browning, Dr. Cressey, and R. Kingsley ; Curator — R. Kingsley. Extracts from the Rules of the Nelso7i Philosophical Society. 4. That members shall be elected by ballot. 6. That the annual subscription shall be one guinea. 7. That the sum of ten guineas may be paid in composition of the annual subscription. 16. That the meetings be held monthly. 23. The papers read before the Society shall be immediately delivered to the Secretary. TKANSACTIONS. TKANSACTIONS OF THE NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE, 18 86. I.— Z OOLOGY. Art. I. — Monograph of New Zealand Noctuina. By E. Meykick, B.A., F.E.S. {Read before the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, 7th October, 1886.] I HAVE described the species of this group on the same method as that employed in my paper on the Geometriua,-''- and the remarks prefatory to that paper may be taken to apply generally to this also. The species of Noctuina are commonly very dull coloured, and very similar in marking. It is, therefore, not surprising that those writers who classify by superficial appearance have found themselves in a frightful state of confusion ; but the structural classification of the group is really not difficult. As an example of the sort of work produced, I will merely point out that fifteen described species of New Zealand Noctuina, all truly referable to the same genus, Mamestra, have been classed by these writers in eighteen different genera, under five distinct families. As the New Zealand fauna is very limited in character, it may be useful to remark that genera such as Hadena, Xylina, etc., to which several of these species have been referred, are really existing genera, quite distinct in structure, and have not been merged by me in Mamestra; I have simply corrected the erroneous reference. The specimens described in this paper were mainly from the collection of Mr. E. W. Fereday, to whom I am greatly indebted for the loan of them. Mr. Fereday has devoted especial atten- tion to the group, and his collection is a very valuable record of labour ; but, as it was taken principally in a few limited locali- ties, it is doubtless incomplete. I imagine that, as in the Geometrina, new species will come mainly from the alpine regions. During my last visit to the table-land of Mount * " Trans. N.Z. Inst.," vol. xvi., p. 49 ; xvii., p. 62 ; xviii., p. 184. 4 Transactions. — Zoology. Arthur 1 tried the effect of sugaring, with much perseverance and a total absence of result; the only species I took were found by day, but I think an attracting lamp would have been effective. The Miure of sugar is probably due to the very great abundance of flov/ers. Seven ;;een ge?aera are recorded, of which number six are represented only by single wide-ranging species, and are not to be regarded as belonging to the true indigenous fauna ; five are endemic, and represented in all by only six species ; and the remaining six are wide-ranging, and probably almost cosmo- politan genera. Sixty-three species are given, of which nine are found also in /.ustralia, several of them ranging much further ; the remainder are endemic. Forty-two — that is, two- thirds of the whole number, or nearly seven-ninths of the endemic species — belong to the two closely- allied genera Leu- cauia and Hamestra, the distinction between which is very slight. Compare with this the predominance of the two closely allied genera, Larentia and Notoreas, among the Larentiadcs (Geome^rina) ; the analogy is so close as to suggest a common origin in time for the New Zealand fauna of both groups. I have little hesitation in asserting, though I cannot yet adduce conclusive proof, that the LarcntiaclcB of New Zealand approach much more nearly to those of Chili than of any other country, and perhaps the Noctuina may be found to display a similar relation. NOCTUINA. Forewings with vein 1 simple, 5 rising nearer to 4 than to 6, 7 and 8 from a co'.nmon stalk. Hindwings with Ic obsolete, 8 rising out of upper margin of cell near base, frenum developed. Se-^arated from the Geomctrina by the ]Dosition of vein 5 of the forewings. 1''.ie following characters are also common to all the New Zealand genera of the group, and are therefore given here, to avoid ixead-ess repetition: — Face vertical or obtusely promineT^.o ; ocelli present ; tongue well-developed ; palpi (unless special-.yir.en Lionel) moderate, obliquely ascending, second joint densely rcugh-scaled or hairy, terminal joint short, smooth, cylindrical ; ihorar. very densely hairy ; tarsi more or less strongly cpinose, spurs ■.vsll-developed ; forewings with vein 6 almost iiom a point with 9, 7 and 8 out of 9, 10 connected with 9 by r. I;"r (eiiept :'n Erano); hindwings with veins 3 and 4 approrimateiy ii-om a point, 6 and 7 approximately from a point. The markings ..re tissumed to consist typically of first, second, and subierminai lines, a median shade or cloudy line between fixst and second, and orbicular, claviform, and reniform spots ; the position oi' all these is practically identical in all Meyeiok. — Monograph of New Zealand Noctuina. 5 the New Zealand species. The first line runs from about i of costa to about f of inner margin, the second, rather curved on upper portion, from about | of costL to about f of inner margin ; the orbicular and reniform aucjsssively between these above middle, the claviform imineiicisly beyond first line below middle. The two famiHes represented in New Zsaland differ essen- tially only in the structui-e of vein 5 ot the hindvnngs : — Noctuidce. Hindwings with vein 5 imparfejt, parallel to 4. PlusiadcB. Hindwings with vein 5 wall-viaveloped, apjjroxi- mated to 4 towards bt^se. NOCTUIDiS. A. Eyes hairy. I. Abdomen more or less crested, thorax with defined crest. a. Wings with transverse vein wholly absent . . 5. Erana. b. ,, ,, „ present ., .. 1. Lia.iiestra. II. Abdomen smooth, thorax without dehiied erest. a. Palpi, in male, with terminal joint greatly swollen 1. Physetica. h. Palpi, in male, with terminU joint not greatly swollen 1. Antennffi, in male, strongly bipectinated to apex . . . . . . . . . . 3. Ichneutica. 2. Antennte, in male, with at least apex filiform . . . . . . . . . . ss. Leucania. B. Eyes naked. I. Eyes with long marginal cilia. a. Thorax with anterior angles prominent, angularly sealed . . . . . . . . 6. Miselia. h. Thorax with anterior angles not prominent. 1. Thorax sharply crested . . . . . . 8. Xanthia. 2. ,, not ,, 7. Orthosia. n. Eyes without marginal cilia. a. Antennae in male bipectinated . . . . . . 10. Agrotis, b. „ ,, filiform. 1. Thorax strongly crested 12. Cosmodes. 2. „ not „ i. Anterior tibite with horny apical hook 11. Heliothis. ii. „ without „ „ 9. Bityla. 1. Physetica, n. g. Eyes hairy. Palpi with terminal joint in male greatly swollen, as broad as second, rather short, rounded, with an orifice in outer side, in female normal. Antenna iu male fili- form, simple. Thorax and abdomen smooth. 1. Phys. ccBvuIea, Gn. {Agrotis ecBrulm, Gn., Ent. Mo. Mag. v., 38.) Male, female. — 38-41 mm. Head, antennae, and thorax slaty-grey. Palpi whitish- ochreous, laterally suffused with slaty- grey. Abdomen grey, in male mixed with yellowish, anal tuft 6 Transactions, — Zoology, ochreous-yellowish. Legs slaty-grey, ringed with wliitish- ocbreous ; posterior tibiae pale wbitish-ochreous. Forewings moderately dilated, costa straigbt, apex obtuse, bindmargin somewbat waved, sbgbtly oblique, rounded beueatb ; dark slaty- grey, finely sprinkled witb wbitisb ; sub-basal first and second lines obscure, wbitisb, dentate, dark-margined ; orbicular and reniform very obscurely indicated by pale outlines ; median sbade dark-grey ; subterminal obscure, wbitisb, twice sinuate ; cilia dark slaty-grey, sprinkled witb wbitisb. Hindwings blackisb-grey, becoming paler and mixed witb wbitisb-ocbreous towards base : cilia wbitisb-ocbreous, witb a faint grey line, towards tips wbite. Under- surface of all wings in male uniform glossy pale wbitisb-ocbreous, in female greyisb-tinged. Blenbeim and Kakaia, in October, December, and January ; ten specimens ; formerly very common at flowers {Fereday), 2. Leuoania, Tr. Eyes hairy. AntennsB in male witb short pectinations or dentations terminating in tufts of ciha, or subdentate or filiform, evenly ciliated, towards apex always filiform. Thorax smooth or slightly crested anteriorly. Abdomen smooth. The variations in the form of antennae are simply specific, and not available even to form sections. The larvae are 16- legged, probably generally feeding on grass. The genus is probably cosmopolitan, but is as well represented in New Zealand as anywhere. A. Forewings with black longitudinal streak from base B. „ _ without ,, „ „ D. B. Hindwings rather dark grey . . . . . . 5. atristriga. ,, not ,, . . . . , , G. C. Forewings with dark fuscous longitudinal streak in QlSC •• •. a* •• •• Forewings without dark fuscous longitudinal streak in disc . . D. Forewings with defined oblique fuscous streak from apex Forewings without defined oblique fuscous streak from apex . . . . . . . . E. E. Orbicular tolerably defined . . . . . . 2. moderata. „ imperceptible . . . . . . F. F. Forewings with posterior series of dots absent . . G. II „ „ more or less distinct . . G. Forewings whitish-ochreous ,, light brownish-crimson H. Cilia of forewings conspicuously darker t> .1 not ,, ,, K. Hindwings dark grey . . ., not dark grey L. Forewings reddish fuscous ,, pale whitish-ochreous M. Cilia of hindwings wliito (. )i dark grey . . 6. propria, 7. acontistis. 16. extranea. H. 13. sulcana. 4. purdii. 15. blenheimcnsis. K. L. N. 9. alopa. M. 12. nrotin. 11. aulacias. Meyriok. — Monograph of New Zealand Noctuina. 7 N. Forewings with darker submedian streak from base 14. temivittata. ,, without ,, ,, ,, O. 0. Forewings with scattered white and black scales on veins . . . . , . . . . . 8. phaula. Forewings without scattered white and black scales on veins . . . . . . . . . . P. P. Forewings with first line indicated by black dots on veins . . . . . . . . . . 10. unica. Forewings with first line not indicated by black dots on veins . . . . . . . . 3. nullifera. 2. Leuc. moderata, Walk. (Agrotis moderata, Walk., Suppl., 705 ; Mamestra griseipennis, Feld., Eeis. Nov., pi. cix., 22 ; Chera virescens, Butl., Cist. Ent., ii., 489 ; Spaelotis inconstans, ib., 545.) Male, female. — 35-38 mm. Head, palpi, antennaB, and thorax ochreous-grey, sometimes suffused with dark grey ; antenn® in male with moderate transverse triangular denta- tions, terminating in tufts of long cilia. Abdomen pale ochreous-greyish. Legs dark grey, suffusedly irrorated with whitish-ochreous. Forewings moderately dilated, costa straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin waved, somewhat oblique, rounded beneath; fuscous-grey, yellowish-tinged, densely strewn with whitish scales ; hairs at base of inner margin, white ; two blackish dots near base, on costa and in middle, followed by pale dots ; first and second lines blackish, dentate or inter- rupted, second followed by a series of whitish points ; median shade dark grey ; orbicular and reniform indistinctly outlined with pale and then with blackish ; subterminal whitish, irregular, interrupted, anteriorly suffusedly margined with dark grey ; a hind-marginal row of blackish dots : cilia grey, mixed with ochreous-whitish. Hindwings dark grey, lighter towards base ; cilia ochreous-white. Var. a. Thorax and forewings without ochreous tinge, with numerous white scales tending to form suffused spots and margins to lines ; ciha distinctly barred with darker ; hind- wings grey, with dark grey irregular hind-marginal band. Christchurch, Lake Coleridge, Eakaia, Akaroa, and Lake Guyon ; a single specimen of the variety on Mount Arthur at 4,700 feet ; from November to March, very common. 8. Leuc. nullifera, Walk. [Agrotis nullifera, Walk,, Noct., 742, Butl., Voy. Ereb., pi. ix., 5; Alysia specifica, Gn., Ent. Mo. Mag. v., 3.) Male, female. — 55-58 mm. Head, palpi, antennse, thorax, and legs light brownish-ochreous, in female more greyish ; antennas in male with moderate transverse triangular dentations terminating in tufts of cilia ; abdomen pale greyish-ochreous. Forewings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex 8 Transactions. — Zoology. obtuse, hindmargin waved, obliquely rounded ; light brownish- ocbreous or fuscous ; sometimes two faint dentate darker lines visible, approximated on inner margin ; a posterior curved series of cloudy darker do':s, followed by pale points : cilia pale ocbreous or fuscous, tips whitish. Hindwings pale brownish- ochreous or fuscous ; ciha pLle ochrecus, tips whitish. Larva stout, glabrous ; 73llcw-cchreous, minutely speckled with white ; dorsal obscurely fi.scous ; a very fine fuscous subdorsui line, ec ged benes,th with white ; an obscure fuscous shade above spiracles, darker posteriorly ; head yellow-ochreous. Feeds within ..terns ot Aciphrlla coiensoi {l!mbeUifer(B). Christchurch, ^i.'k'Ji^, ^nd Mount Arthur (3,500 feet) ; from November to March, common. 4. Leuc. purdii, Frdy. (Leucania purdii, Frdy., Trans. N.Z. Inst., 1882, 195.) Male. — 46 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax ferruginous, thorax between patagia posteriorly grey-whitish. Anteange whitish-ochreous, with moderate triangular transverse denta- tions, terminBoing in tufts^of cilia. Abdomen greyish-ochreous, slightly i-eddish-tiij-ed. JjO's c/all fuscous-crimson mixed with dark grsy. Forewin3-3 modsrcte.y dilated, costa slightly sinuate, apex obtuse, hindmargin cblicuely rounded ; light dull brownish- crimson, with a few whitish s«.r.ies ; cost«, narrowly deep yellow, more broadly near base ; ;. narrow deep yellow sujjfusion along basal hall oi inner margin ; l moderately broad deep yellow suffusion below middle rrom base to middle ; a moderately broad deep yellow suflusion above middle from |- to f : cilia yellowish- white, basal hah" pale reddish-ochreous. Hindwings dark grey ; cilia pale ochreous-yellowisn, tips whitish. Dunedin ; one specimen, sent by Mr. Purdie. 5. Leuc. atristriga, Walk. Xylina atristriga, Walk., Suppl., 756; i!/a7«e„?ing3 light grey, some- times tinged with whitish-ochreous ; a dark grey interrupted hind-marginal line ; cilia ochreous-whitish. Mount Arthur (3,800 feet), Blenheim, and Mount Hutt, from January to March ; common. 7. Leuc. acontistis, n. sp. Male. — 86 mm. Head, palpi, antennae, thorax, abdomen, and legs v/hiiish-ochreous, slightly brownish tinged ; antennae with strong triangular transverse dentations, terminating in tufts of cilia ; collar with an imperfect blackish transverse line. Forewings moderately dilated, costa hardly arched, apex obtuse, hiudmargin rather oblique, rounded beneath ; whitish-ochreous, brownish-tmged ; a slender attenuated black streak below middle from base to -| : cilia ochreous-whitish. Hindwings light grey, tinged with whitish-ochreous ; ciha ochreous-whitish. Oastle Hill ; on© Bpecimen, sent by Mr. J. D. Enye. 10 Transactions. — Zoology. 8. Letic. phaula, n. sp. Male.— S8 mm. Head, palpi, antennae, thorax, abdomen, and legs light brownish-ochreous ; antennae with moderate tri- angular longitudinal dentations, terminating in tufts of cilia. Forewiugs moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin somewhat oblique, rounded beneath ; rather light fuscous, ochreous-tinged ; veins marked with scattered white and black scales ; an obscure white dot at each extremity of transverse vein ; a minute black dot towards inner margin at i ; a posterior series of obscure minute black dots, bent above middle : ciha fuscous, base more ochreous, tips whitish. Hind- wings fuscous-grey, base somewhat hghter ; cilia whitish- ochreous, with a faint grey line, tips more whitish. Christchurch, in November ; two specimens ; bred from tussock-grass. 9. Leuc. alojm, n. sp. Male. — 41 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax reddish-fuscous, mixed with ochreous-whitish ; face whitish-ochreous ; thorax, posteriorly between patagia, grey- whitish. Antenn® ochreous- whitish, flatly subdentate, moderately ciliated. Abdomen light grey, anal tuft whitish-ochreous, mixed with reddish. Legs reddish-ochreous, mixed with grey. Forewiugs moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin waved, somewhat obHque, rounded beneath ; reddish-fuscous, slightly ochreous-tinged ; costa somewhat irrorated with whitish ; a black dot towards inner margin at \ ; reniform represented by a subcrescentic whitish-ochreous mark, bordered beneath by a cloudy dark-grey spot ; a posterior curved series of obscure black dots : ciha reddish-fuscous, tips white. Hindwings dark grey ; cilia ochreous-whitish, sHghtly reddish-tinged. Lake Coleridge and Lake Guy on, in March ; two specimens. 10. Leuc. unica, Walk. (Leucania unica, Walk., Noct. 112, Butl., Voy. Ereb., pi. ix., 9 ; Nonagria juncicolor, Gn., Ent. Mo. Mag., v. 2.) Male, female. — 34-35 mm. Head, palpi, antennae, thorax, abdomen, and legs whitish-ochreous, slightly brownish-tinged ; antennae in male moderately bipectinated, pectinations strongly ciliated. Forewiugs moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin waved, somewhat oblique, rounded beneath ; whitish-ochreous, slightly brownish-tinged, sometimes with a fcAV scattered black scales ; first Ime represented by three pau-s of obscure black dots ; a posterior curved series of black dots : cilia whitish-ochreous. Hindwings grey, more or less tinged with whitish-ochreous ; cilia pale whitish-ochreous. Blenheim and Eakuia, in NovemLer ; nnie specimens. Meykiok. — Monograph of New Zealand Noctuina. 11 11. Leuc. aulacias, n. sp. Male. — 41 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax whitish-oclireous ; palpi externally mixed with blackish ; thorax with a slender black transverse line on each side of back, anteriorly. Antennae whitish, flatly subdentate, moderately ciliated. Abdomen ochreous-whitish. Legs whitish, outer spurs black, except apex, two apical joints of anterior tarsi black. Forewings moderately dilated, costa hardly arched, apex obtuse, hindmargin crenulate, somewhat oblique, rounded beneath ; pale whitish-ochreous, faintly brownish-tinged in disc ; a black basal dot below middle ; veins posteriorly and in disc lined with blackish, and inter- neural spaces with central brown lines leaving pale marginal Lines but somewhat suffused near hindmargin ; a cloudy blackish dot towards inner margin at f ; a short very obscure longitudinal streak of blackish scales beneath middle ; a posterior curved row of black dots: cilia fuscous, mixed with ochreous- whitish. Hindwings dark grey ; cilia dark grey, mixed with whitish. Dunedin, in March ; one specimen. 12. Leuc. arotis, n. sp. Male, female. — 39-42 mm. Thorax tolerably crested anteriorly ; submedian streak not traceable ; cilia of forewings whitish-ochreous, sprinkled with fuscous and blackish, of hind- wings white, with indications of a grey line : all else as in L. aulacias. Blenheim, Christchurch and Eakaia, in November and December ; nine specimens. This may eventually prove to be a form of the preceding species, but at present it is easily dis- tinguishable by the different cilia of the hindwings. 13. Leuc. sulcana, Frdy. (Leucania sulcana, Frdy., Trans. N.Z. Inst., 1879, 267, pi. ix.) Male, female. — 40-42 mm. Head, palpi, antennae, thorax, and legs whitish-ochreous, partly tinged with brownish-ochreous ; palpi mixed with blackish ; antennae in male flatly sub-dentate, moderately ciliated ; two apical joints of anterior tarsi black ; outer spurs with median black band. Abdomen dark-grey above, anal tuft whitish-ochreous. Forewings moderately dilated, costa slightly arched, apex rectangular, hindmargin almost straight, rather obhque ; whitish-ochreous, with a few scattered black scales ; costal edge slenderly bright ochreous from base to f ; a slender ochreous-brown streak along sub- median fold from base to f , posteriorly very indistinct, towards base somewhat mixed with black ; a slender ochreous-brown suffused median streak from end of cell to hindmargin ; indica- tions of darker lines posteriorly between veins ; a distinct black dot above middle at ^, another at ^, and a third, sometimes 12 Transactions. — Zoology. obsolete, towards inner margin at -J ; a rather large black dot between origins of veins 3 and 4, and another on middle of vein 6 ; a hind-marginal series of mmute black dots : cilia whitish-ochreous. Hindwings blackish-grey ; cilia pale ochreous, with a cloudy dark-grey line. Akaroa and Dunedin, in February; ten specimens. 14. Letic. temivittata, Walk. {Leucania temivittata, Walk., Suppl. 628.) Male, female. — 36-40 mm. Head, palpi, antennse, thorax, abdomen, and legs pale whitish-ochreous ; antennae in male serrate, shortly ciliated ; outer spurs with median black band. Forewings moderately dilated, costa hardly sinuate, apex obtuse, hindmargin slightly waved, rather oblique, rouuded beneath ; pale whitish-ochreous ; space between veins posteriorly some- times pale brownish, veins sometimes marked with black scales ; a slender pale ochreous median streak, irrorated with black, from base to f ; a black dot above middle at |-, sometimes another at ^, and one towards inner margin at -J, a fourth between origins of veins 3 and 4, and a filth between veins 6 and 7, near origin ; a curved posterior series of black dots ; a hind-marginal series of minute black dots : cilia pale whitish- ochreous. Hindwings grey, in female more or less suffused with pale whitish-ochreous ; cilia white, base ochreous-tinged. Christchurch, Mount Torlesse, and Dunedin ; common. 15. Leuc, blenheimensis, Frdy. (Leucania blenheimemis, Frdy., Trans. N.Z. Inst., 1882, 196.) Male. — 40 mm. Head, palpi, antennae, thorax, abdomen, and legs whitish-ochreous, slightly brownish-tinged ; palpi externally suffused with blackish ; antenns subserrate towards base, moderately cihated ; anterior legs suffused with dark grey, all tarsi and spurs banded with blackish. Forewings mode- rately dilated, costa hardly sinuate, apex obtuse, hindmargin waved, somewhat oblique, rounded beneath ; whitish-ochreous, tinged with pale brownish-ochreous along hindmargin ; veins partially white, irregularly irrorated with black ; first line repre- sented by three minute black dots ; a cloudy black dot between veins 3 and 4 at origin ; a posterior curved series of obscure black dots : cilia blackish-grey, irrorated with wliitish. Hind- wings fuscous-grey, towards base tinged with whitish-ochreous ; cilia grey- whitish, with a cloudy grey line. Napier and Blenheim ; three specimens. IG. Leitc. extranea, Gn. (Leucania extranea, Gn., Noct. v., 77, Bull., Voy. Ereb., pi. ix., 2.) Male, Jemale. — 32-42 mm. Head, palpi, antennas, thorax, abdomen, and lege pale brownish-ochreoue, Bometimea sprinkled Meyeiok. — Monograph of New Zealand Noetuina. 18 with dark fuscous ; antennae in male filiform, rather shortly ciliated ; thorax somewhat crested anteriorly ; outer spurs banded with black. Forewings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin rather oblique, rounded beneath ; light browuish-ochreous, with numerous scattered short fuscous strigul© and black scales ; orbicular and reuiform indistinct, roundish, more yellow-ochreous, dark-centred ; a white dot, sometimes very obscure, on lower margin of reni- form, preceded and followed by dark scales ; a curved posterior series of black dots ; a straight oblique slender fuscous streak from apex to this series ; a hind-marginal series of black dots : cilia pale brownish-ochreous, apex whitish. Hindwings grey- whitish, towards hindmargin broadly suffused with dark-grey, especially on upper half, veins dark-grey ; cilia whitish, some- times with an indistinct grey line. Napier, Wellington, Nelson, and Christchurch, from January to April ; not uncommon. Occurs also in Australia, Java, India, and North and South America. 3. IcHNEUTICA, B. g. Eyes hairy. Antennae in male strongly bipectinated through- out. Thorax and abdomen smooth. 17. Ichn. ceraunias, n. sp. Male. — 41 mm. Heu,d, palpi, antennae, thorax, abdomen, and legs brownish-ochreous ; palpi externally suffused with dark fuscous ; scalk of antennae white above. Forewings moderately dilated, cosLa almost straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin rather oblique, rounded beneath ; whitish-ochreous, brownish-tinged ; a pale yellow-ochreous gradually dilated streak from base above middle to f , where it separates abruptly into two strong remote branches, nearly reaching hindmargin, upper acutely pointed, lower wiih two acute points ; space between and beyond these, and on a broad streak beneath them, reaching from ^ to hind- margin but acutely attenuated anteriorly, ochreous-brown, sprinkled with black on margins ; a small blackish spot between branches at origin, and an irregular black divided streak from base beneath median streaks to middle : cilia whitish-ochreous (imperfect). Hindwings light fuscous-grey ; cilia whitish- ochreous (imperfect). Mount Arthur (4,700 feet) ; I took a single specimen, flying by day in January ; it is in rather poor condition, but could not be mistaken. 4. Mamestra, Tr. Eyes hairy. Palpi with terminal joint rarely elongate. Antenna9 in male dentate or fihform, ciliated evenly or with fascicles, or moderately bipectinated, apex always fihform. 14 Transactions. — Zoology. Thorax more or less strongly crested anteriorly and often pos- teriorly. Abdomen more or less distinctly crested towards base. Probably cosmopolitan, but relatively much more numerous in New Zealand than elsewhere. Larvae 16-legged, feeding on grasses and low plants. Abdomen partly rosy not A. Hindwings rosy grey B. Forewings distinctly green C. All veins conspicuously pale )) not )f )) •• •• •• D. A distinct short blackish median streak from base No black basal streak . . E. A dark brown interrupted discal patch from first line to hindmargin No such patch F. A black dash above anal angle . . No black supra-anal dash G. Black dash broadly suffused with dark fuscous ,, ,, slender, defined H. Orbicular and reniform very small or obsolete ,, ,, ,, large I. Lower edge of reniform forming a white semi- annular mark Lower edge of reniform not defined J. Orbicular conspicuously pale-margined . . ,, not ,, ,, . • • . K. A conspicuous interrupted dark fuscous dash above anal angle . . . . . . . . No such dash L. Subterminal with two long teeth below middle reaching hindmargin Subterminal without teeth reaching hindmargin . . M, Costa suffused with white „ not suffused with white . . N. Markings grey ,, reddish-brown O. Orbicular oblique, suboval ,, roundish or obsolete . . P. Reniform marked posteriorly with an oval white or yellowish spot . . Eeniform not marked posteriorly with an oval white or yellowish spot Q. A sharply-marked dark fuscous triangular mark above anal angle . . No such defined mark R. Reniform followed by a dark fuscous spot ,, nou ,, ,, ,, . • S. Forewings brown )» f^rcy •• ■• •• •• T. Antennas of male shortly bipectinated . . ,, „ fihform U. Orbicular white ,, not white .. A. B. 25. pictula. 26. rhodopleura. 21. plena. C. 18. disjungens. D. B. K. 19. paracausta. F. G. H. 20. polychroa, 23. mutans. I. J. 33. composita. 34. steropastis. 38. stipata. 36. 07noplaca. 41. ustistriga. L. M. O. 35. arachnids. N. 40. Ugnana. 39. 1-ubescens. P. S. 29. vitiosa. Q. 37. dotata. R. 31. tartar ea. 30. ochthistis. T. U. 24. agorastis. 28. pelLitis. W. V. Meyrick. — Monograph of New Zealand Nootuiua. 15 V. Mediau shade conspicuously darker 44. cucullina. ,, ,, nearly obsolete .. X. w. Terminal joint of palpi elongate 43. temperata „ „ short .. 22. lithias. X. Lines very strongly dentate, tending to form longi- tudinal streaks 42. prionistis. Lines normal Y. Y. First line preceded and second followed by white dots 32. homosda. First line without white dots . . 27. sistens. The following rough analysis may also be of use in helping to fix the identity of species : — A. AntennsB of male shortly bipectinated . . sp. 18-24. B. „ „ subdentate or filiform. 1. Subterminal with two much stronger teeth below middle . . . . . . sp. 83-40. 2. Subterminal without much stronger teeth. a. Terminal joint of palpi rather elongate sp. 43, 44. b. „ „ short .. sp. 25-32, 41, 42. 18. Mam., disjungens, Walk. {Heliophobus disjungens, Walk., Noct., 1681, Butl., Voy. Ereb., pi. ix., 1 ; Hadena nervata, Gn., Ent. Mo. Mag. v., 40.) Male, female. — 35-37 mm. Head whitish-ochreous, mixed with fuscous, with a dark fuscous band on face. Palpi whitish- ochreous, externally suffused with dark fuscous. AntennsB whitish-ochreous, in male moderately pectinated. Thorax slightly crested, ochreous-whitish, with a central dark fuscous line, collar and patagia with submarginal dark fuscous rims, an ochreous transverse band behind collar. Abdomen ochreous- grey-whitish. Legs dark fuscous, mixed and ringed with ochreous - whitish. Forewings moderately dilated, costa straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin crenulate, obliquely rounded ; brownish-ochreous ; all veins conspicuously whitish ; spots moderate, margined first with white and then with black except on veins ; orbicular round, claviform elongate, reniform oblong ; lines black, waved, interrupted on veins ; subterminal white, obscurely blackish-margined on both sides, with two acute teeth touching hindmargin below middle ; a hind-marginal row of black lunules : cilia whitish-ochreous, mixed with fuscous. Hindwings fuscous-grey, lighter towards base ; veins sometimes whitish ; a dark fuscous hind-marginal line ; cilia whitish, with a cloudy grey line. Eakaia ; November to January, formerly very common, now scarcer. 19. Mam. paracausta, n. sp. Male, female. — 37 mm. Head whitish, mixed with reddish- ochreous above, with two blackish transverse lines on face. Palpi whitish, externally somewhat mixed with reddish- ochreous and black. Antenna whitish, in male moderately pectinated 16 Transactions. — Zoology. (4). Thorax and abdomen grey mixed with white and black, collar mixed with reddish-ochreous, and with a transverse blackish line, outer edge of patagia blackish. Legs ochreous- whitish, suffusedly mixed with blackish. Forewings moderately dilated, costa slightly sinuate, apex obtuse, hindmargin waved, rather oblique, rounded beneath ; pale ochreous, towards costa irrorated with dark fuscous and whitish, in female more whitish ; lines slender, dentate, obscure, dark fuscous ; first anteriorly whitish-margined, second posteriorly white-margined on lower half ; spots hardly perceptible ; a slender black sinuate streak from base to middle, margined beneath rather broadly with dark ochreous-brown to first line, terminating beneath a rather broad posteriorly dilated dark ochreous-brown discal patch extending from first to second line, between which and inner margin the ground-colour is irrorated with white ; the discal dark patch is continued beyond second line to hindmargin, where it is dilated and extends over lower f , becoming blackish- fuscous, cut on veins 3 and 4 by light streaks terminating in whitish arrow-headed spots extending into cilia, and containing a double whitish mark on anal angle : cilia pale ochreous mixed with whitish and dark fuscous. Hindwings dark grey mixed with white ; an irregular obscurely marked darker post-median line ; a dark fuscous interrupted hind-marginal line ; cilia whitish mixed with grey. Castle Hill ; two specimens, taken by Mr. J. D. Enys. 20. Mam. polychroa, n. sp. Male, female. — 34-36 mm. Head and palpi dark fuscous mixed with grey -whitish. Antennae fuscous, in male moderately pectinated. Thorax with angles subprominent, small anterior, median, and posterior crests ; fuscous irrorated with whitish, with black angulated anterior and sinuate lateral lines. Abdomen grey, and tuft ochreous-whitish, someames reddish-tinged. Legs dark fuscous, irrorated with vrhite. Forewings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin crenu- late or waved, obliquely rounded ; light reddish-fuscous, densely suffusedly irrorated with grey white-tipped scales, discal space darker; a short black median streak from base; a short suffused black very obhque streak from inner margin near base, con- nected with apex of basal streak by a dull green spot ; sometimes a dull green dorsal suffusion before middle; spots outlined first with dull green and then with black ; orbicular rather large, roundish, claviform roundish, incomplete, reniform oblong, posterior half paler and sometimes clear white ; lines slender, dentate, indistinct, black ; subterminal very slender, whitish, anteriorly margined with greenish and partially with black, preceded towards inner margin by a triangular blackish spot, Meybick. — Monograph of New Zealand Noctuina. 17 posteriorly suffasedly margined with black except towards extremities, with two acute teeth below middle almost touching hiudmavgin : a hind-marginal row of black dots : cilia fuscous, obscurely and slenderly barred with paler. Hindwings fuscous ; cilia whitish, with a fuscous line. Blenheim and Christchurch ; from April to June, very common. This species appears in some collections to stand for Agrotis admirationis. 21. Mam. plena, Walk. {Erana plena, Walk., Suppl., 744; Mamestra sphapnea, Feld., Reis. Nov., pi. cix., 17; Dianthoecia viridis, Butl., Cist. Ent. ii., 547.) Male, female, — 33-34 mm. Differs from M. polychroa only as follows : — Head, thorax, and forewings wholly suffused with green ; no black streak from base ; sub-basal line double, well- defined; first and second lines and a median shade tolerably distinct; triangular supra-anal spot fuscous. Christchurch and Mount Hutt ; November to May, very common. 22. Mam. lithias, n. sp. Male. — 33 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax white, densely irrorated with black and fuscous ; patagia with two obscure black longitudinal streaks. Antennae grey, with strong triangu- lar transverse dentations (1), terminating in tufts of cilia. Abdomen grey. Legs dark grey, irrorated with white, banded with black and white, spurs white with median black band. Forewings moderately dilated, costa straight, apex obtuse, hind- margin waved, somewhat oblique, rounded beneath ; fuscous, irregularly suffused with grey ; veins coarsely and broadly irrorated with black and white ; lines white, slender, subdentate, irregularly blackish-margined ; a dark median shade ; orbicular small, round, white, fuscous-centred, black-margined ; clavi- form very small, but conspicuous, round, black, minutely white-centred ; reniform oblong, white, fuscous-centred, black- margined ; subterminal more obscure, nearly touching hind- margin beneath costa, with two indistinct, rather more acute, teeth below middle : cilia rather dark grey, slenderly barred with white. Hindwings grey ; a darker hind-marginal line ; cilia whito, with a pale grey line. Castle Hill ; two specimens, laken by Mr. J. D. Enys. 23. Mam. mutans, Walk. {Hadena mutans, Walk., Noct., 602 ; H. lignifusca, ib., 603 ; Mamestra angusta, Feld., Eeis. Nov., pi. cix., 18 ; M. acceptrix, ib., pi. cix., 19; Hadena debilis, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1877, '663, pi. xlii., 6.) Male, female. — 34-39 mm. Head and palpi light reddish- ochreous, or white mixed with fuscous and blackish. Aateun® 2 18 Transactions. — Zoology. grey, in male moderately bipectinated. Thorax with angles subpromiuent, moderate anterior and small posterior crests ; hght reddish-ochreous, or light grey irrorated with white, with a black angulated anterior line, patagia with obscure black submarginal lines. Abdomen and legs whitish, irrorated with ochreous or grey. Fore wings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hiudmargin waved, obliquely rounded ; pale reddish-ochreous, or grey, more or less ochreous-tinged, more or less suffusedly irrorated with white ; veins irrorated with blackish ; a short black sinuate median streak from base ; spots black-margined, orbicular roundish, claviform semicircular, reniform curved oblong, not margmed with black on posterior edge ; lines indistinct ; subterminal pale or whitish, hardly waved, suffusedly margined with dark fuscous, except at extremi- ties and on a single tolerably acute dentation below middle, preceded on submedian fold by a short longitudinal black streak ; an interrupted black hindmargiual line : cilia ochreous or grey, mixed with white and black. Hiudwiugs grey, base somewhat lighter ; a dark grey hind-marginal line ; cilia whitish, with a grey line. Wellington, Christchurch, Eakaia, Lake Guyon, probably everywhere ; from August to March, very common. 24. Mam. agorastis, n. sp. Male, female. — 35 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax reddish-fus- cous ; thorax mth small anterior and median crests. Antennae fuscous, in male with rather short strongly ciliated pectinations. Abdomen grey, anal tuft light reddish. Legs reddish-fuscous, irrorated with ochreous whitish. Forewings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin waved, obliquely rounded ; rather dark reddish-fuscous, lines greyish-tinged, edged with dark reddish-fuscous, tolerably defined ; clavi- form small, obscure, greyish ; orbicular and reniform dark grey, margined with white and then with dark reddish-fuscous, orbicu- lar round, reniform oblong : a tolerably distinct median shade ; subterminal whitish-ochreous, obscure, waved ; a hind-marginal series of black lunules : cilia reddish-fuscous. Hindwings fuscous ; cilia whitish, with a fuscous line. Akaroa and Lake Guyon, in February and March ; three specimens. 25. Mam. pictula, White. {Dianthoecia pictula, White, Tayl. New Zeal., pi. i., 3; Meterana pictula, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1877, 386, pi. xlii., 1.) Male, female. — 36 mm. Head and palpi blackish-grey, face with a yellowish-green band. Auteunie grey, in male submonili- form, moderately ciliated. Thorax with angles subpromiuent, small anterior, median, and posterior crests ; blackish-grey, with sinuate anterior and curved sublateral yellowish-green streaks. Meyriok. — Monograph of New Zealand Noctuina. 19 Abdomen light rosy, with dorsal and lateral streaks, anal tuft and ventral surface towards apex dark grey. Legs blackish- grey, apex of tarsal joints whitish. Forewings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin crenu- late, obHquely rounded ; dark grey ; markings yellowish-green, suffusedly black-margined ; orbicular roundish, grey-centred ; claviform roundish, grey ; reniform irregular, clear white except anterior edge ; hnes tolerably distinct ; subterminal evenly waved ; a submarginal series of green lunules : cilia grey, mixed with blackish, with greenish bars and a basal row of white dots. Hindwiugs pale crimson-rosy ; a grey discal lunule, postmedian series of cloudy dots, and rather broad hind-marginal band ; cilia grey. Lake Coleridge, in March ; three specimens. 26. Mam. rhodopleura, n» sp. Male, female. — 35 mm. Only differs from M. pictula as follows : — Head and thorax with ground-colour brownish ; fore- wings with ground-colour pale ochreous, becoming grey in disc ; median shade distinct, black ; reniform not white ; cilia blackish, barred with pale ochreous, without white dots. Hind- wings grey, with a postmedian series of indistinct darker dots followed by pale dots. Abdomen in male with very large dense tuft of ochreous-whitish hairs from base beneath. Napier and Wellington ; three specimens. 27. Mam. sistens, Gn. {Eumichtis sistens, Gn., Ent. Mo. Mag. v., 39.) Male, female.— 82-Sd mm. Head, palpi, antennae, thorax, abdomen, and legs light greyish-ochreous ; antenna in male with short triangular transverse dentations (^), strongly ciliated ; thorax with very slight crests. Forewings moderately dilated, costa slightly sinuate, apex obtuse, hindmargin waved, obliquely rounded ; light grey, with a slight irregular greenish- ochreous suffusion ; lines tolerably distinct, blackish-margined ; spots obscurely dark-margined ; orbicular small, reniform toler- ably distinct ; median shade perceptible ; subterminal hardly defined, hind-marginal space somewhat darker grey ; a hind- marginal series of black lunules : ciha light ochreous-grey, with faint slender paler bars. Hindwings grey ; a dark-grey hind- marginal line ; cilia whitish, with a cloudy grey line. The crests appear very slight, and it is therefore possible that this species ought to be transferred to Leucania ; it bears a close resemblance to L. moderata, from which it may be dis- tinguished by the grey line of the ciha of hindwings, and by the subterminal not being defined by a darker anterior marginal shade. Bakaia, in February ; eight specimens, 20 Transactions. — Zoology. 28. Mam. pelistis, n. sp. Male, female. — 34-35 mm. Head, palpi, antennas, thorax, abdomen, and legs pale wliitish-ocbreous, partially suffused with pale brownish, and mixed with reddish-fuscous ; antenna in male submouiliform, moderately ciliated ; thorax with moderate anterior and small j)osterior crests ; anal tuft whitish-ochreous. Forewings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin waved, obliquely rounded ; whitish-ochreous, tinged with fuscous ; disc and hindmargin wholly suffused with reddish-fuscous ; lines tolerably defined, margined with dark reddish-fuscous ; median and subdorsal veins irrorated with blackish and white ; orbicular rather small, round, margined with ochreous-whitish ; claviform small, roundish, grey, black- margined ; reniform oblong, grey, lower part dark grey, margined with ochreous-whitish, and then laterally with dark reddish- fuscous ; subterminal ochreous-whitish, with two acute, some- times undefined, dentations below middle : cilia dark grey, mixed with whitish and reddish fuscous. Hindwings dark fuscous ; cilia grey-whitish, with a cloudy dark grey line. Akaroa and Lake Coleridge, from January to March ; nine specimens. 29. Mam. vitiosa, Butl. (Apamea vitiosa, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1877, 384, pi. xlii., 3.) Male, female. — 32-35 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax dark reddish fuscous ; thorax with moderately large anterior and small posterior crests. Antennae dark grey, in male serrate, rather strongly ciliated. Abdomen and legs dark grey, anal tuft whitish-ochreous, reddish-tinged. Forewings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin crenu- late, obliquely rounded ; dark reddish-fuscous, disc and hind- margin blackish-tinged ; lines somewhat paler, dark-margined, very indistinct; orbicular obUque oval, sometimes pale-margined, externally black-margined ; claviform semicircular, black-mar- gined ; reniform oblong, margined obscurely with blackish and sometimes partially with pale, marked with a whitish-ochreous or white dot at each posterior angle, and a small oval clear white or whitish-ochreous spot lying between these ; subterminal obscure, with two moderately acute dentations below middle : cilia dark reddish-fuscous, with a basal series of white dots on veins. Hindwings and cilia rather dark fuscous. Christchurch, in May and June ; very common. 30. Mam. octhistis, n. sp. Male, female. — 34-36 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax reddish- fuscous, mixed with dark fuscous ; thorax with angles subpro- minent, rather large anterior and small posterior crests, Meyrick. — Monograph of New Zealand Noctuina. 21 with a small black posteriorly whitish -margined spot on each side of back anteriorly. Antenufe dark grey, in male filiform moderately ciliated. Abdomen grey, sides and anal tuft light reddish-ochreous. Legs reddish-fuscous, base of tarsal joints sharply black. Forewings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin crenulate, obliquely rounded ; reddish-fuscous, veins suffusedly dark fuscous ; lines dark- margined, tolerably defined ; orbicular oblique-oval, margined with pale and then sharply with black ; claviform subtriangular, black-margined ; reniform curved oblong, rather narrow, mar- gined anteriorly with black and posteriorly with white, with a grey middle line ; median shade blackish-fuscous, tolerably defined ; subterminal ochreous- whitish, suffusedly dark-margined, with two moderately acute dentations below middle : cilia reddish-fuscous, mixed with blackish, with a basal series of white dots on veins. Hindwings rather dark grey, base paler ; a tolerably distinct central darker lunule ; cilia ochreous- whitish, with a cloudy reddish-grey line. Christchurch, from November to April ; very common. 31. Mam, tartarea, Butl. {Graphiphora tartarea, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc. Loud., 1877, 384, pi. xlii., 2.) Male, female. — 36-37 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax reddish-fuscous, mixed with dark fuscous ; thorax with rather small anterior and posterior crests. Antennae grey, in male subdentate, moderately ciliated. Abdomen grey, anal tuft whitish - ochreous. Legs reddish- fuscous, tarsi dark grey. Forewings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin crenulate, obliquely rounded; reddish- fuscous, sometimes wholly suffused with dark fuscous except a hind-marginal band ; lines paler, dark-margined, tolerably defined ; claviform semicircular, dark fuscous, black-margined ; orbicular and reniform laterally margined with ochreous-whitish and then with black, orbicular oblique-oval, reniform oblong, preceded and followed by a dark reddish-fuscous spot ; a dark reddish-fuscous spot preceding second line on fold, forming a dentation inwards ; subterminal sinuate, not waved or dentate : cilia reddish-fuscous, obscurely barred with darker. Hindwings dark grey ; cilia grey- whitish, with a cloudy grey Ime. Christchurch, in April ; common. 32. Mam. homoscia, n. sp. Male. — 38 mm. Head, palpi, antennae, thorax, abdomen, and legs grey ; anteunse with short triangular transverse denta- tions (-J), strongly ciliated ; thorax with moderate anterior crest ; anal tuft ochreous-tinged. Forewings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin crenulate, obliquely rounded, grey ; veins irrorated with black and white, marked 22 Transactions. — Zoology. with two tolerably distinct series of white dots, preceded and followed by black marks, before first and beyond second lines ; lines dark-margined, tolerably defined ; orbicular and claviform hardly traceable ; reniform indicated by whitish lateral margins ; subterminal faintly paler, not dark-margined, waved : cilia grey. Hindwings grey, darker posteriorly ; cilia grey-whitish, with a cloudy grey line. "Wellington ; one specimen, given me by Mr. G. V. Hudson, who has taken others. 83. Mam. com2)osita, Gn. {Cloantha composita, Gn., Noct. vi., 114 ; Auchmis composita, Walk., Noct., 616 ; Butl., Voy. Ereb., pi. ix., 12; Mamestra maori, Feld., Reis. Nov., pi. cix., 24 ; Leucania dentigera, Butl., teste Skellon, but reference not found.) Male, female. — 32-36 mm. Head, palpi, antennfc, thorax, abdomen, and legs ochreous- whitish ; face with a dark fuscous band ; palpi more or less mixed with dark fuscous ; antennas in male serrate, moderately ciliated ; thorax with moderate double anterior and posterior crests, tinged with brownish- ochreous, with a black posteriorly white-margined anterior line, and a sometimes indistinct blackish streak on patagia ; abdomen in male reddish-tinged ; legs irrorated with fuscous, anterior tarsi with two apical joints black. Forewings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin waved, obliquely rounded ; pale whitish-ochreous, towards disc and hindmargin brownish-tinged ; subcostal and subdorsal spaces more or less sufi'used with white ; a fine black median streak from base to ^ ; a fine black line, bordered above with white and beneath suf- fusedly with fuscous, from first to second lines above middle, interrupted by a small semiannular white mark representing lower edge of reniform ; first line obsolete ; second fine, dark fuscous, very strongly dentate ; subterminal fine, obscure, dark fuscous, preceded by a whitish suffusion, extremely strongly and very irregularly dentate, receding widely from hindmargin above middle and towards lower extremity, but with two long dentations touching hindmargin below middle : cilia greyish- ochreous barred with white. Hindwings grey, ochreous- tinged, becoming dark-grey posteriorly ; cilia white, with a pale gi'ey line. Larva longitudinally striped with dark and light, feeding on grasses ; sometimes occurs in great profusion. Napier, Wellington, Christchurch, and Lake Coleridge, in February and March ; sometimes abundant. Occurs also in South-East Australia and Tasmania. 34. Mam. sternpastis, n. sp. Male, female. — 40-43 mm. Head ochreous, mixed with ■\Yhitish, and ii-regularly marked with dark reddish-fuscous. Meyrick. — Monograph of New Zealand Noctuina. 23 Palpi dark reddish -fuscous, mixed with whitish. Antennas fuscous, in male suhdentate, rather shortly ciliated. Thorax with moderately large double anterior and small posterior crest ; reddish - fuscous, with a black posteriorly whitish- margined anterior line ; patagia with two black internally whitish-margined streaks on each. Abdomen grey, and tuffc pale reddish-ochreous. Legs ochreous-whitish, mixed with reddish-fuscous. Forewings moderately dilated, costa hardly arched, apex obtuse, hindmargin creuulate, obliquely rounded ; reddish-fuscous ; veins dark fuscous, margined with whitish or ochreous-whitish ; a short black median streak from base ; a slender dark reddish-fuscous longitudinal streak in disc from above apex of this to f , posterior extremity somewhat dilated ; a minute white discal dot near beyond its extremity ; a very obhque short blackish streak from inner margin near base ; second line hardly indicated ; subterminal hardly traceable except by two very long whitish dentations touching hind- margin below middle : cilia reddish-fuscous, slenderly barred with whitish. Hindwings dark grey ; cilia white or ochreous- whitish, with a grey line. Napier, Blenheim, and Christchurch, in November and February ; seven specimens. 35. Mam, arachnias, n. sp. Female. — 37 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax reddish-fuscous, slightly irrorated with white ; forehead with two black trans- verse lines ; collar with a slender white line ; thorax with strong anterior double tuft. Antennae white. Abdomen light reddish-grey. Legs reddish-fuscous irrorated with whitish, anterior tibiae and tarsi white, all tarsi with two apical joints black except apex, spurs banded with black. Forewings mode- rately dilated, costa slightly sinuate, apex obtuse, hindmargin waved, obliquely rounded; reddish-fuscous, slightly irrorated with whitish-ociireous, except on a suffused somewhat darker median streak from base to f ; an obscure moderately broad white costal streak from base to |, posteriorly suffused, sharply defined near base only, containing several very oblique ill- defined blackish strigulaB ; orbicular moderate, narrow-oval, longitudinal, very finely margined with white and then with black ; claviform obsolete ; reniform only indicated by two white dots representing its lower angles ; lines very acutely dentate but hardly traceable ; subterminal indicated only by three very acute slender whitish-ochreous dentations, one below apex, two touching hmdmargin below middle : cilia reddish- fuscous mixed with whitish. Hindwings dark grey ; cilia whitish-ochreous, with a faint grey line, tips white. Napier and Blenheim ; only one specimen seen, sent by Mr, Skellou. 24 Transactions. — Zoology. 36. Mam. omojdaca, n. sp. Male, female. — 40-41 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax dark reddish-fuscous, sometimes blackish-tinged ; thorax with rather large double anterior crest, an anterior black anteriorly ochreous- margined angulated line, apex of anterior angles ochreous- whitish. Antennas fuscous, in male submoniliform, moderately ciliated. Abdomen grey, and tuft reddish-whitish. Legs reddish-fuscous mixed with blackish, anterior pair ochreous- whitish, with three apical joints of tarsi black. Forewings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hind- margin waved, obliquely rounded ; reddish-fuscous ; a short black median streak from base, margined above with ochreous- white ; space between this and costa marked with suffused ochreous-whitish lines ; in one specimen a blackish suffusion extending from base of inner margin obliquely to orbicular and reniform, space between this and subterminal line suffused with pale whitish-ochreous ; orbicular and reniform blackish-fuscous, black-margined, connected by a blackish-fuscous spot ; orbicular large, roundish ; reniform with outer edge white ; claviform small, suboval, blackish-fuscous ; lines indistinct ; subteiminal obscurely paler or hardly traceable, with two somewhat acute dentations below middle ; hind-marginal space mixed with blackish-fuscous : cilia reddish-fuscous mixed with blackish. Hindwings fuscous-grey ; cilia grey- whitish, with a grey line. Lake Coleridge and Eakaia, in December, February, and March ; three specimens. 37. Ma7n. dotata, Walk. (Dasypolia dotata, Walk., Noct., 522.) Female. — 42 mm. Head, palpi, thorax, and legs dark fuscous, somewhat mixed with reddish, whitish-ochreous, and black. Antennae dark fuscous. Abdomen fuscous. Forewings mode- rately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin crenulate, obliquely rounded ; dark fuscous, reddish-tinged ; a blackish suffused spot on inner margin at l^ ; lines somewhat paler, obscurely blackish-margined ; orbicular large, oblique- oval, partially finely margined with whitish and then with black ; claviform moderate, triangular, black-margined ; reni- form oblong, partially white-margined, posteriorly strongly, then with black, containing a cloudy reddish-whitish median Hne ; a tolerably distinct median shade ; space between second and subterminal lines paler, mixed with reddish-whitish, cut by an acute triangular dark fuscous mark on submedian fold ; subterminal cloudy, whitish-ochreous, dark-margined, waved, regular ; a fine black waved submarginal line, anteriorly finely margined with obscure pale ochreous marks ; a hind-marginal series of minute ochreous-whitish dots on veins : cilia dark Meyrick. — Monograph of New Zealand Noctuina. 25 fuscous mixed with ocbreous-whitish. Hindwings rather dark fuscous ; ciHa reddish-fuscous, with a dark fuscous line, tips whitish. One specimen, without note of locality. 38. Mam. stipata, Walk. {Xylina stipata, Walk., Suppl., 753.) Male, female. — 46-47 mm. Head and palpi whitish-ochreous mixed with reddish-fuscous. Antennae ochreous-whitish, in male filiform, shortly ciliated. Thorax with angles subpro- minent, large double anterior and small posterior crests ; reddish- fuscous, obscurely streaked with whitish-ochreous and darker. Abdomen grey, mixed with reddish-fuscous and whitish- ochreous. Legs reddish-fuscous, mixed with ochreous-whitish, anterior pair with tibiaB suffused with ochreous-whitish, base of tarsal joints black. Forewings moderately dilated, costa hardly arched, apex obtuse, hindmargin crenate, obliquely rounded ; reddish-fuscous, suffusedly mixed with whitish-ochreous, espe- cially towards costa and on a band beyond second line ; lines paler, dark-margined, tolerably distinct ; a short blackish-fuscous median streak from base, interrupted by a whitish-ochreous mark ; orbicular large, oblique-oval, conspicuously margined or almost wholly suffused with pale whitish-ochreous, and then narrowly with dark fuscous ; claviform semicircular, black- margined ; reniform oblong, margined laterally with ochreous- whitish, and then with dark fuscous ; a series of pale dots margined by dark fuscous dots on veins beyond second line ; subterminal ochreous-whitish, suffusedly margmed with dark reddish-fuscous except towards costa and below middle, with two acute suffused dentations touching hindmargin below middle ; hindmarginal space mixed with blackish-fuscous ; a hindmarginal row of black dots : cilia reddish-fuscous, mixed with blackish and ochreous-whitish. Hindwings dark grey ; cilia ochreous-whitish, with a fuscous-reddish line. Christchurch, from October to May ; common. 39. Mam. ruhescens, Butl. (Xylophasia ruhescens, Butl., Cist. Ent. ii., 489.) Male, female. — 40-42 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax whitish- ochreous, irrorated with reddish-ochreous ; palpi externally mixed with blackish ; thorax with moderate anterior and small posterior double crests, with a few scattered black scales, crests sufi'used with blackish. Antennae ochreous-whitish, in male subdentate, moderately ciliated. Abdomen grey, mixed with whitish-ochreous, reddish-tinged. Legs whitish-ochreous, mixed with reddish-ochreous, middle tibiae with two blackish bars, spurs with black bands. Forewings moderately dilated, costa hardly arched, apex obtuse, hindmargin waved, obliquely 26 Transactions. — Zoology. rounded ; whitisb-ochreous, slightly reddish-tinged ; lines mar- gined with reddish-ochreous, sharply dentate, very indistinct; orbicular moderate, round, margined with reddish-ochreous, containing a blackish dot near anterior edge ; claviform sub- oval, margined with reddish-ochreous ; reniform oblong, mar- gined first with blackish, then with whitisb-ochreous, then reddish-fuscous ; a faint median shade ; a series of dark fuscous dots on veins beyond second line ; subterminal very obscure, with two distinct very acute dentations touching hindmargin below middle, above and below which is a reddish-fuscous patch on hindmargin ; a hind-marginal row of dark fuscous lunules : cilia reddish-fuscous, barred with whitish-ochreous. Hindwings grey, reddish-tinged ; cilia whitish, basal half reddish. Castle Hill and Lake Wakatipu, in January and February ; five specimens. 40. Main, lignana, Walk. (Hadena lignana, Walk., Noct., 758; 7 Xylophasia morosa, Butl., Cist. Ent. ii., 543.) Male, female. — 38-39 mm. Head, palpi, antennse, thorax, abdomen, and legs whitish, irrorated with ochreous-grey and a few black scales ; face with a dark fuscous baud ; palpi externally mixed with blackish ; autenu^ in male filiform, moderately ciliated ; thorax with moderately large anterior and small posterior crests ; anterior tarsi with two apical joints black, spurs with black bands. Forewings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin waved, obliquely rounded ; ochreous-grey, densely and suffusedly irrorated with whitish ; lines dark-margined, indistinct ; spots obscurely dark- margined laterally ; orbicular roundish, claviform semicircular, reniform oblong, marked beneath with a roundish blackisli-grey spot ; an obscure median shade ; subterminal suffusedly dark- margined, except beneath apex and below middle, with two acute dentations touching hindmargin below middle ; a hind- marginal row of black dots : cilia ochreous-grey, barred with ochreous-whitish. Hindwings grey, darker posteriorly ; cilia white, with a cloudy grey line. Wellington and Mount Hutt, in March ; five specimens. 41. Mam. iististnga, Walk. (Xylina ustistriga, Walk., Noct., 630; X. lignisecta, ib., 631.) Male, female. — 40-46 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax grey, sometimes more or less suffused with fuscous-reddish ; thorax with moderate anterior and slight posterior crests. AntennsB grey, in male with short triangular transverse dentations (^), moderately ciliated. Abdomen whitish-grey or whitish-ochreous, reddish-tinged. Legs reddish-grey, irrorated with whitish. Forewings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex Meybick. — Monograph of New Zealand Noctuina. 27 obtuse, hindmargin waved, obliquely rounded ; grey, sometimes strongly reddish-tinged, suffusedly irrorated with white ; lines hardly traceable : orbicular large, roundish, margined fii'st very obscurely with pale, and then finely with black ; claviform triangular, black-margined ; reniform curved-oblong, margined very obscurely with whitish, and then anteriorly with black ; a cloudy median shade ; a short curved blackish line marking anterior margin of a dentation of second line opposite claviform ; a black streak, suffused with fuscous or reddish-fuscous, connecting second and subterminal lines opposite this ; sub- terminal waved, whitish, indistinct, margined with dark fuscous on a spot above middle: cilia whitish, with reddish-fuscous or grey basal and median interrupted lines. Hindwings fuscous- grey, darker posteriorly ; cilia white, with a grey line. Blenheim, Christchurch, and Lake Coleridge, from February to May ; common. 42. Mam. prionistis, n. sp. Male. — 45 mm. Head, palpi, thorax, and legs grey- whitish ; crown with two brown lines meeting in front ; palpi with second joint externally brown ; thorax with large anterior crest, two brown dorsal lines meeting in front, diverging and very in- distinct posteriorly. Antennae grey, filiform, moderately ciliated. Abdomen grey, sides and anal tuft paler, and ochreous-tinged. Forewings moderately dilated, costa straight, apex obtuse, hind- margin crenulate, obliquely rounded ; pale ochreous-grey, densely and suffusedly irrorated with white, tending to form longitudinal streaks ; inner margin suffused with brownish ; lines hardly traceable, strongly dentate ; reniform narrow, white, anteriorly suffused, posteriorly edged with an interrupted blackish line ; subterminal indicated by a posterior brownish dentate margin, diverted to hindmargin below apex : cilia ochreous-grey, mixed with white. Hindwings rather dark grey ; ciha whitish, with a grey line. Kakaia, in February ; three specimens. 43, Mam. temperata, Walk. {BnjopMla temperata, Walk., Noct., 1648; Xijlina inceptura, ib., 1736; X. deceptura, ib., 1737.) Male, female. — 38-39 mm. Head, palpi, antennae, thorax, and legs grey, irrorated with white ; terminal joint of palpi elongate ; antenn® in male filiform, very minutely ciliated (i) ; thorax with rather small anterior crest. Abdomen grey, mixed with ochreous-whitish. Forewings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex subacute, hindmargin waved, obliquely rounded ; grey, densely irrorated with white ; lines dark-mar- gined, more or less indistinct ; a tolerably distinct median shade ; orbicular roundish, wholly white, including a faint greyish ring; 28 Transactions. — Zoology. claviform obsolete ; reniform oblong, margined with white and then with black ; subterminal indicated by suffused dark-grey subdentate anterior margin throughout ; a hind-marginal series of dark grey limules : cilia white, irrorated with grey. Hindwings grey, slightly ochreous-tinged ; cilia whitish, with a very faint grey line. Christchurch and Lake Coleridge, in December, February, March, and June ; six specimens. 44. Mam. cuculUna, Gn. {Xylocampa cucullina, Gn., Ent. Mo. Mag. v., 40 ; Agrotis mitis, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1877, 383, pi. xlii., 5.) Male, female.— 31-32 mm. Head, palpi, antenna, thorax, abdomen, and legs dark grey iiTorated with white ; terminal joint of palpi rather elongate ; antennae in male filiform, shortly ciliated (i) ; thorax slightly crested. Forewings moderately dilated, costa straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin waved, obliquely rounded ; grey, irrorated with white ; lines whitish, dark-mar- gined, very indistinct ; a rather conspicuous darker median shade ; spots margined first obscurely with white and then with black ; orbicular round, claviform very small, semi-oval, reniform curved oblong ; subterminal indicated by a posterior suffused darker grey subdentate margin ; a hind-marginal row of blackish lunules ; cilia ochreous-grey mixed with white. Hind- wings grey, darker posteriorly ; cilia whitish, with a grey line. Kakaia, in March ; three specimens. 6. Ekana, Walk. Eyes hairy. Antennae in male filiform, simple, with scat- tered single cilia. Thorax with anterior and posterior crests. Abdomen with strong dorsal crests towards base. Forewings in male beneath with a very long dense tuft of scent-giving hairs from base ; transverse vein absent, 7 and 8 out of 9, 10 free. Hmdwings with transverse vein absent, costa in male broadly dilated. 45. Eran. graminosa, Walk. (Erana graminosa, Walk., Noct., 605 ; E. vigens, ib., Suppl. 743.) Male. — 30-33 mm. Head and thorax yellowish-green ; thorax with small anterior and larger double posterior crest. Palpi whitibh-ochreous, externally mixed with blackish. Anten- nae fuscous. Abdomen whitish-ochreous, back towards apex suffused with grey. Legs pale whitish-ochreous, greenish-tinged, spotted with black. Forewings narrow, moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin waved, obliquely rounded ; light yellowish-green mixed with olive-green ; lines whitish-tinged, partially black-margined, distinct; reniform margined with white and then with black ; three clear white Meyrick. — Monograph of New Zealand Noctuina. 29 dots on costa posteriorly ; subtermiual suffused with white towards apex ; a submargiual waved whitish hne : ciha oHve- greeuish ; tuft of under- surface pale whitish-ochreous. Hind- wings with rounded costal dilation, twice as broad as forewings ; light fuscous-reddish, suffused with grey towards hindmargin ; costa broadly ochreous-whitish ; a small apical spot and three others on hindmargin towards middle greenish ; cilia ochreous- whitish, suffused with greenish on upper half of hindmargin and with pale reddish on lower part. Larva (according to Mr. Pardie) light green, with white dorsal and subdorsal lines, spots black ; feeds on Melicytus ramiflorus, in February and April. Wanganui, Masterton, and Wellington, in February and March ; four specimens. The large tuft of the forewings is the source of a very strong vanilla-like perfume, which scents the box in which the specimens are contained for more than a week after their death ; the scent is excited more strongly, even in the dead specimen, by stirring the tuft with a pin. 6. MisELiA, Stph. Eyes naked, margins strongly ciliated. Antennas in male fihform, moderately ciliated. Thorax with anterior angles pro- jecting, somewhat crested. Abdomen not crested. 46. Mis. pessota, n. sp. Male. — 26 mm. Head, palpi, and antennae dark fuscous. Thorax dark fuscous, slightly irrorated with white, collar ochreous-brown, with a black transverse line. Abdomen greyish, anal tuft whitish-ochreous. Legs dark fuscous, ringed with Avhitish. Forewings moderately dilated, costa straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin crenate, rather obliquely rounded ; dark fuscous, slightly purplish-tinged, with a few scattered ochreous-whitish scales ; lines obscurely paler ; a blackish acute- triangular spot towards base of inner margin, containing a hooked ochreous-whitish mark ; orbicular moderate, round, whitish-margined ; claviform represented by a short ochreous- whitish mark ; reuiform connected with orbicular by a quadrate blackish-fuscous spot, ochreous-white, anteriorly margined first with dark fuscous and then with pale ochreous ; subterminal hardly traceable ; a hind-marginal row of obscure whitish dots : cilia dark fuscous. Hindwiugs rather dark fuscous ; cilia fuscous, tips whitish. Christchurch, in December ; two specimens. 7. Orthosia, Tr. Eyes naked, margins ciliated. Antennas in male subdentate or filiform, moderately ciliated. Thorax without defined crest. Abdomen not crested. 80 Transactions. — Zoology. 47. Orth. comma, Walk. {Mamestra comma, Walk., Noct., 239 ; Butl., Voy. Ereb., pi. ix., 6; Graphi- phora implexa, Walk., Noct., 405; Hadena plusiata, ib., Suppl. 742; Nitocris bicomma, Gn., Ent. Mo. Mag. v., 4.) ]\Icde, female. — 31-40 mm. Head fuscous, crown more or less ochreous-wbitish. Palpi dark fuscous, terminal joint and apex of second ochreous-wbite. Antennae fuscous, in male subdeutate. Tborax fuscous or dark fuscous, collar witli two black lines, space bebind it sometimes ocbreous - wbitisb. Abdomen fuscous. Legs dark fuscous, anterior tibiae and tarsi wbitisb-ocbreous, tarsi witb tbree apical joints blackisb. Fore- wings moderately dilated, costa bardly arcbed, apex obtuse, hindmargin bardly waved, ratber obliquely rounded ; ocbreous- brown, suffusedly irrorated witb grey and sometimes witb dark fuscous ; lines not paler, blackisb-margined, tolerably distinct ; ii slender dark fuscous angulated median sbade ; orbicular minute, dot-like, ocbreous-wbite, very minutely fuscous-centred, dark-margined ; claviform obsolete ; reniform narrow, oblong, almost occupied by strong wbitisb-ocbreous or yellowisb-wbite lateral margins, lower posterior angle sending an acute sbort wbite projection towards bindmargin ; subterminal indicated by suffused darker somewbat irregular almost straigbt anterior margin, sometimes blackisb on upper balf: cilia dark grey, irrorated witb wbitisb, witb a fine pale ocbreous basal Ime dotted witb blackisb. Hindwings fuscous ; cilia wbite, witb a cloudy fuscous line. Wellington, Blenheim, Cbristcburcb, and Kakaia, from December to February ; common. 48. Orth. immimis, Walk. (Tceniocampa immnnis, Walk., Noct., 430; Ccrastis innocua, ib., 1710 (locality probably erroneous) ; Agrotis acetina, Feld., Eeis. Nov., pi. cix., 6.) Male. — 34 mm. Head and tborax ligbt reddisb-fuscous, sprinkled witb wbitisb, face suffused witb wbite. Palpi reddisb- ocbreous, terminal joint and apex of second wbite. Antenna) wbitisb (?). Abdomen pale greyisb-ocbreous, and tuft wbitisb- ocbreous. Legs reddisb-fuscous irrorated witb wbite, anterior tarsi wbite. Forewings moderately dilated, costa bardly arcbed, apex obtuse, bindmargin slightly waved, ratber obliquely rounded ; light reddisb-fuscous, irrorated witb pale grey ; lines obscurely darker-margined ; orbicular moderate, roundish, late- rally mai'giued with darker ; claviform small, suboval, indicated only by posterior darker margin ; reniform oblong, outer edge indented, with lateral yellowish-white margins coalescing in centre, posterior followed by a dark fuscous margin ; subter- minal yellow-whitish, nearly straight, slightly sinuate : ciha light reddisb-fuscous, irrorated with whitish. Hindwings pale grey ; cilia wbitisb-ocbreous, reddish-tinged, tips white. Blenheim; two specimens, Meyrick. — Monograph of New Zealand Noctuina. 81 8. Xanthia, Tr. Eyes naked, margins ciliated. Antennae in male filiform, moderately ciliated. Thorax with sharp compressed anterior and small posterior crest. Abdomen not crested. 49. Xantli. ceramodes, n. sp. Male. — 35-36 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax dark reddish- fuscous, terminal joint and apex of second of palpi sometimes whitish-ochreous. Antennge dark fuscous. Abdomen reddish- fuscous. Legs dark reddish-fuscous irrorated with pale ochreous. Forewings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hiudmargin waved, obhquely rounded ; dark reddish- fuscous ; lines ochreous- whitish, very ill-defined ; orbicular and reuiform very small, margined with ochreous-whitish, open beneath, connected by a semi-oval black spot margined with ochreous-whitish beneath, reniform followed by a very small black spot ; subterminal somewhat sinuate, very indistinct : cilia reddish-fuscous. Hindwings rather dark fuscous, with a darker discal spot, conspicuous on under-surface ; cilia rather dark fuscous, tips whitish. Dunedin and North Island ; two specimens. 9. BiTYLA, Walk. Eyes naked. Antennae in male filiform, shortly ciliated. Thorax not crested, collar suberect. Abdomen not crested. 50. Bit. defigurata, Walk. {Xylina defigurata, Walk., Suppl. 756; Bityla thoracica, ib., 869.) Male, female. — 38-39 mm. Head and antenufe dark fuscous. Palpi dark fuscous, terminal joint and apex of second ochreous. Thorax fuscous, collar dark fuscous. Abdomen fuscous-grey. Legs dark fuscous, apex of joints ochreous-whitish. Forewings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hind- margin waved, obliquely rounded ; brown, glossy ; lines dark- margined, tolerably defined ; spots and subterminal line not traceable : cilia brown. Hindwnigs rather dark fuscous-grey, glossy ; ciha white, basal half suffusedly fuscous. Blenheim, Christchurch, Lake Coleridge, and Dunedin, from January to March ; eight specimens. 51. Bit. sericea, Butl. {Bityla sericea, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1877, 387, pi. xlii., 12.) Male, female. — 35-36 mm. Head, palpi, antennfe, and thorax brown. Abdomen grey, anal tuft whitish-ochreous. Legs dark fuscous, apex of joints ochreous-whitish. Forewings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin waved, obliquely rounded ; glossy, greyish -fuscous ; first line indicated 32 Tramactions. — Zoology. by an obscure darker margin ; median shade thicli, faintly trace- able ; second line cloudy, very obscure, grey-whitish, anteriorly obscurely dark-margined ; spots and subterminal line absent ; a conspicuous waved whitish hind-marginal line : cilia grey, suffusedly mixed with whitish. Hindwings fuscous-grey, lighter towards base ; cilia whitish, base suffused with pale fuscous. Wellington, Christchurch, and Lake Guyon, in February and March ; six specimens. 10. Agrotis, Tr. Eyes naked. Antennre in male moderately bipectinated* towards apex filiform, simple. Thorax and abdomen without defined crests. A large cosmopolitan genus, but little represented in New Zealand. The larvfe are frequently subterranean, feeding on roots. A. Claviform produced to base . . . . 53. admirationis, ,, not ,, ,, . . . . . . B. B. Costa of forewings somewhat concave . . 56. ceropaclwides. „ „ not concave . . . . C. C. Forewings brown . . . . . . . . 52. ypsilon. grey .. .. .. . . D. D. Cilia of hindwings in male wholly white . . 55. inconspicua. ,, ,, ,, with a grey line . . 54. sericea. 52. Ar/r. ypsilon, Eott. (Noctua ypsilon, Kott. ; Agrotis sitffusa, Hb.) Male, female. — 40-42 mm. Head reddish-fuscous. Palpi and antennae dark fuscous. Thorax greyish fuscous, somewhat mixed with reddish, with a strong black angulatcd anterior line. Abdomen light-grey. Legs blackish, mixed with whitish, anterior pair ochrcous-whitish. Forewings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin slightly waved, obliquely rounded ; fuscous, reddish-tinged ; basal area and a band beyond second line suffused with whitish-ochreous except towards costa, median space blackish-tinged towards costa ; lines davk-margined, distinct, second straight on lower half; Bpots outlined with black ; orbicular round, dark-centred ; claviform elongate ; reniform followed by a short black longi- tudinal mark ; a cloudy median shade ; subterminal whitish- ochreous, with two strong dentations nearly reaching hind- margin below middle, anteriorly fuscous-margined and with two short dark fuscous dashes above middle, hind-margiual space suffused with dark fuscous: cilia pale ochreous mixed with dark-grey. Hindwings grey-whitish, becoming grey pos- teriorly, veins and a hind-marginal line dark-grey ; cilia white, with a grey line. Larva feeding on roots of grass. Meyeick. — Monograph of New Zealand Noctuina. 38 Napier, Christcliurch, and Lake Coleridge, from January to March ; very common. Also occurs in Australia, Cliiua, India, Africa, Europe, North and South America. 63. Agr. admirationis, Gn. (Agrotis admirationis, Gn., Ent. Mo. Mag. v., 38.) Male, female. — 32-34 mm. Head, antennae, and thorax in male whitish-ochreous, brownish-tinged ; in female fuscous mixed with whitish. Palpi whitish, second joint externally dark fuscous except apex. Abdomen grey- whitish, anal tuft ochreous- whitish. Legs ochreous- whitish, anterior tarsi black towards base of joints. Forewings moderately dilated, less in female, costa straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin straight, rather oblique, rounded beneath, hardly waved ; in male whitish- ochreous, in female fuscous mixed with whitish ; costa mixed with blackish towards base and sometimes posteriorly ; lines obsolete ; claviform suffusedly outlined with blackish-fuscous, elongate and produced as an obscure streak to base ; orbicular narrow-oval, dark-fuscous, margined with whitish-ochreous, and then imperfectly with dark-fuscous, posterior extremity of whitish-ochreous margin produced to touch reniform, and margined below by a dark fuscous spot ; reniform irregular, dark fuscous, obscurely pale-margined ; subterminal indistinct, with two strong dentations below middle, margined anteriorly by several small dark fuscous triangular marks, and posteriorly by a suffused dark fuscous hind-marginal space above middle ; a hind-marginal row of small black triangular spots : cilia whitish-ochreous. Hindwings in male grey-whitish, in female slightly greyer ; a hind-marginal row of dark-grey lunules ; cilia white, with a faint grey line. Christcliurch, at roots of tussock-grass on sand-hills ; very common. 64. Agr. sericea, Butl. {Ghersotis sericea, Butl., Cist. Ent. ii., 490.) Male, female. — 33-35 mm. Head, palpi, antennae, and thorax grey, fuscous-tinged ; palpi with second joint suffused with dark fuscous externally. Abdomen grey, and tuft ochreous-tiuged. Legs dark grey, apex of joints whitish. Forewnigs moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hindmargin waved, somewhat oblique, rounded beneath ; grey, fuscous-tinged ; lines obscurely paler and dark-margined, or obsolete ; spots blackish-margined ; claviform elongate ; orbicular roundish, dark-centred, connected with reniform by a dark fuscous spot ; reniform containing a daikor inner ring ; subterminal obsolete ; a hind-marginal row of black dots : cilia ochreous-whitish, with three cloudy grey lines. Hind- 34 Transactions. — Zoology. wings grey, paler and whitish-tinged towards base ; cilia whitish, with a cloudy grey line. Christchurch, in October and November. 55. Agr. inconspicua, Butl. (Chersotis inconspicua, Butl., Cist. Eut. ii., 545.) Male, female. — 33-35 mm. Differs from A. sericea as follows : — Head, thorax, and forewings sometimes suffusedly irrorated with white ; abdomen in male grey- whitish. Fore- wings with sub-basal line black-margined, first and second lines blackish-margined on discal side ; no distinct dark fuscous spot between orbicular and reniform ; subterminal sometimes tolerably defined, with three acute dentations below middle. Hmdwings in male suffused with grey-whitish ; cilia wholly white. Christchurch and Kakaia, in December and January. 56. Ayr. ceropachoides, Gn. (Agrotis ceropachoides, Gn., Eut. Mo. Mag. v., 39.) Male. — 33-34 mm. Head, palpi, antenna, thorax and abdomen grey-whitish ; second joint of palpi banded with blackish. Legs white, irrorated with black, tarsi black, with apex of joints white. Forewings moderately dilated, costa subconcave, apex obtuse, hiudmargin entire, obliquely rounded ; diirk grey, very densely irrorated with whitish, slightly greenish-tinged ; lines and spots paler, dark-margined, almost obsolete ; a hind-marginal row of black dots : cilia ochieous- grey, apical third clear white. Hiudwings grey ; cilia as in forewings. Kakaia, in July, August, and September. 11. Heliothis, Tr. Eyes naked. Antennas in male filiform, shortly ciliated. Thorax and abdomen not crested. Anterior tibiae with apical hook. 57. Ilel. armigera, Hb. (Heliothis armigcra, Hb. ; H. conjerta. Walk., Noct. G90.) Male, female. — 36-37 mm. Head, palpi, antennae, thorax, and legs whitish-ochreous, slightly tinged with reddish-ochreous. Abdomen ochreous-whitish. Forewings moderately dilated, costa almost straight, apex obtuse, hiudmargin slightly waved, obliquely rounded ; whitish-ochreous, tinged with pale reddish- ochrcous ; lines margined with reddish-ochreous, distinct, second marked with grey and a series of white dots ; orbicular indicated by a dot ; claviform obsolete ; reniform very small, Meyrick.— Monoijraph of Xew Zealand Noctuiua. 35 mixed with blackisli-grey ; a reddish-ochreous line representin.itans, Butl. infensa, Walk. innocua. Walk, insignis, Walk. juncicolor, Gn. lignana, Walk. lignifiinca, Walk. . . lignisecta, Walk. . . 23 lilacina, Butl. .. 63 48 lithias, n. sp. .. 22 7 maori, Feld. .. 33 53 melicerte, Drury .. .. 61 24 mitis, Butl. .. 44 9 moderata, Walk. .. 2 23 morosa, Butl. .. 40 5 mutans, Walk. .. 23 35 nervata, Gn. .. 18 59 nullifera, Walk. .. 3 57 ochthistis, n. sp. . . .. 30 12 omoplaca, n. sp. . . .. 36 5 paracausta, n. sp. . . .. 19 11 pelistis, n. sp. .. 28 47 pessota, n. sp. .. 46 15 phaula, n. sp. .. 8 1 pictula, White .. 25 66 plena, Walk. .. 21 49 plusiata, Walk. .. 47 17 polycbroa, n. sp. . . .. 20 56 pomona, Cr. .. 60 47 prionistis, n. sp. . . .. 42 67 propria. Walk. .. 6 33 provida. Walk. .. 66 57 purdii, Frdy. .. 4 44 rbodopleura, n. sp. .. 26 23 rubescens, Butl. .. 39 43 scotosialis. Walk. . . .. 63 50 selenophora, Gn. . . .. 62 33 semivittata, Walk. . . .. 14 18 sericea, Butl. 51, 54 37 sistens, Gn. .. 27 58 specifica, Gn. .. 3 59 sphagiica, Feld. .. 21 16 spurcata, Walk. .. 64 60 steropastis, n. sp. . . .. 34 45 stipata. Walk. .. 38 2 suji'usa, Hb. .. 52 32 sulcana, Frdy. .. 13 48 tartarea, Butl. .. 31 47 temperata, Walk. . , .. 43 43 thoracica, Walk. .. 50 55 turbida, Walk. .. 68 2 unica, Walk. .. 10 65 ustistriga. Walk. . . .. 41 48 vexata, Walk. .. 69 70 vigeii)!, Walk. .. 45 10 virescenx, Butl. .. 2 40 viridis, Butl. .. 21 23 vitiosa, Butl, .. 29 41 ypsilon, Rett. .. 52 iransattiutts "^m ^mhnh |n$iitul^, Vol. ktx. pi. i. W.II.H., delt. ad luit. 7^0 accompany paper by W. M. Maskell. Maskell. — On the " Honeydew " of Coccid89. 41 Aet. II. — On the " Honeydeiv" of Coccidas, and the Fungus accompanyinrj these Insects. By W. M. Maskell, F.E.M.S. [Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 25th August, 1886.] Plate I. It has long been known that, in common with the Aphididce, PsyUidcE, and other Ehynchota, the Coccids secrete a glutinous fluid, which has received the name of "honeydew." In the other families mentioned, this fluid serves to attract and to feed various insects : thus, for example, Aphides are commonly visited by ants, which devour the honeydew, and even, it is said, go so far as to tickle the Aphides, in order to make them secrete additional fluid. Whether the secretion of Coccids may serve as food for other insects is not certain. I have never noticed anything tending to this idea: often, minute dipterous and hymenopterous insects may be seen amongst Coccids on leaves, but I incline to the belief that certainly the latter, and possibly the former, are seeking rather a place for depositing their eggs than a meal of honey- dew. Hymenopterous insects are very often parasitic on Coccids : and out of a hundred pupae of, say, Ctenochiton perforatus, as many as seventy-five may often be found with hymenopterous pupje or larvse inside them. Acarids of various kinds are also very numerous on leaves where Coccid® are found ; but, whilst it is quite possible that they may be attracted by the honeydew, this may not be the case, as Acarids are numerous and common on all plants, whether infested with Coccids or not. On the whole, I cannot afiirm that the Coccid honeydew affords nutriment to any insects. I have never seen an ant amongst Coccids : but ants are not common in New Zealand, and this point is only negative, after all. Still, the fact remains that Coccidfe exude, like other Ehynchota, a glutinous fluid. This is well known, but I think that nobody as yet has described either the mode or the organ of the secretion. An observation lately made enables me to fill this lacuna, and the points noted are not without interest in the study of the family. It happened that I was lately examining some specimens of the second, or pupa, stage of the female of Ctenochiton elceocarpi, mihi.* In one of these I noticed a sudden protrusion of an organ from between the • " Trans. N.Z. Inst.," vol. xvii., 1884, p. 26. 42 Transactions. — Zoology. two dorsal abdomiual lobes, aud the excretion of a drop of honeydew. Ctenochiton elaocarpi, like all Lecanids, exhibits at the abdominal extremity a deepish narrow cleft, on the dorsal side of which are two rouudly-triangular protruding lobes. In a specimen of the second female stage it may be seen, mider the microscope, that these lobes lie in a shallow groove formed by the sides of the cleft. At intervals, which may vary in length, the insect protrudes rapidly from beneath the lobes a cylindrical organ (figs, la, lb,), composed of a basal, thickish tube, bearing at its extremity another, similar, but much thinner. The organ being pushed out to its full extent, a minute globule of transparent glutinous fluid appears at its extremity, rapidly expands, something like a soap- bubble, and then suddenly breaks and falls in spray on the leaf. The excreting organ is then rapidly withdrawn. I do not entertain much doubt that the process just described is the same used by all the " honeydew "- secreting Coccids. Some of these, like Rhizococcus fossor, Planchonia epacridis, etc., produce much less than others; but even they, I thmk, excrete some. The observation which I have made as above throws a light upon an organ which I noted as occurrmg in the second female stage of Colostoma zalancUcum, in vol. xiv. of the " Transactions," page 227, and in the adult female of the same insect in vol xii., p. 295. I then considered this organ as an oviduct, remarking, however, that I could not see its use in the pupal stage. I never saw it exserted, and was not aware that it ever was so ; but it seems clear to me now that this is an organ similar to the one excretuig honeydew m Ctenochiton elmocarpi, and it probably occurs in at least most of the other Coccids. But observation of this organ is extremely difficult, if not in most cases impossible. The best and most careful work on the anatomy of Coccids is that of Professor Targioni- Tozzetti, " Studie sulle Coccineglie " (Milauo, 1867); and there is no mention in it of any such organ. I have carefully, at various times, examined in every way many specimens of different genera, and, with the exception of ddostoma (an exceptionally gigantic species), I have not seen it. There is no doubt of the quantity of glutinous matter secreted by Coccids ; but, as observed above, the origin and mode of the excretion have not been noticed before. There does not appear to be any other organ, or any other portion, of the insect's body, producing this secretion ; aud it may well be that the absence of insects feeding on the honeydew may be due to the fact that the excreting organ, instead of being con- stantly protruded like the cornicles of the Aphididae, is only now and then exserted aud then withdrawn. In many genera, Maskell. — On the " Honeydew " of Coccidfe. 48 such as Aspidiotiis, Ctenochiton, Inglisia, Eriococcus, etc., the character of the shield or test, waxy or cottony or felted, would prevent the honeydew from exuduig anywhere but at the abdominal extremity ; there, however, there is almost always some kind of orifice or cleft permitting the extrusion of the excreting organ. A point of considerable economic importance is connected with this honeydew of Coccids, namely, the growth upon it of various fungi ; and I take this opportunity of drawing the atten- tion of farmers and tree-growers to it, as I believe that a good deal of misconception exists in its regard. Everybody, doubt- less, has observed how, in gardens or in greenhouses, in planta- tions or in forests, many plants have an unpleasantly blackened appearance ; and it fi-equently happens that the true colours of the twigs and leaves are much, if not quite, obscured by the black coating on them (see figs. 2a and 2h). Now, it wild generally be observed that this black coating is in most cases thicker and more unsightly on the lower than on the upper leaves and branches : sometimes, indeed, the uppermost leaves will be bright green, whilst the lowest look as if they were covered with soot. It will also be noticed that the black coating is abundant, not only in the damp recesses of the forest, but also in comparatively dry greenhouses, and just as much so in open-air gardens. The primary cause of this is usually the presence of some homopterous insects, whether Aphididce, Psi/llidce, Coccida or others. The "honeydew" excreted by them drops, or in the case of Coccids falls in spray, over the leaves beneath them : it very soon furnishes a glutinous and congenial soil for the spores of fungi. If one may judge from the quantity of black coating often found, the act of excretion above described must be repeated somewhat frequently, though so seldom observed. As to the question, what is this black sooty coating : there is no doubt of its fungoid character, but I am not able to identify it precisely. There seem to be, in fact, several species in it. On the leaves, the fungus forms usually a flat, black, thinnish, closely woven covering ; on the twigs and stem it has a looser texture, and generally forms a mass of small erect threads (see figs. 2« and 2b). These appearances are by no means confined to New Zealand, and most writers on Coccidse devote some phrases in passing to the fungus. Signoret* calls it '^ fumagine i" Comstock f calls it " Fuma go salicina :" in an early paper of mine (1878) I attributed it to " Antennaria." In point of fact, a good many of the Hyphomycetos and Physomycetes may be found amongst this fungoid growth. I have attached to this * " Essai sur les Cocheuilles."' t Report of the Entomologist, U.S. Department of Agric, 1880. 44 Tramactions. — Zoology. paper (figs. 2c, 'Hd, 2e) rough representations of three different forms observed.! The economic point, however, to which I di-aw attention is that, as a general rule (I might even put it more strongly), the appearance of this black fungus is an indication of the presence of homopterous insects ; probably, m New Zealand, of Coccidae, because they are the most numerous of the order in this country. Now, a great deal has been heard of late years of the damages by scale-insects, and all sorts of people have written or experimented about them. I find that, amongst the diseases of trees, this black fungus-growth has attracted attention : but the misconception to which I alluded just now is that it has been considered as a separate, or primary, disease, which I do not think it is. In Mr. Kirk's " Eeport upon the Diseases of Lemon and other trees in New Zealand," the common notion is em- bodied, and, under the head of " Lemon Smut, or Black Blight," the writer even emphasizes it, by saying that the excreta of Icerya purchasi (a scale-insect) had no share in its production, and that it was of " purely vegetable origin." In answering, in 1885, questions by a Select Committee of the General Assembly upon tree-diseases, I combatted this view, and ascribed the black " smut" to fungoid growths, the result of the presence of homopterous insects. I believe that Mr. Kirk has now come round to this view of the question, which is, undoubtedly, the right one. It stands to reason, then, that if a farmer, or orchard- grower, or gardener, observing this black growth on his trees, imagines it to be the primary cause of disease, and sets to work to eradicate it without attending to the insect pests, he will be simply throwing his labour away. And there is this important fact to be remembered, that it is not with scale-insects as with other iu sects. Coccidae are impervious to many thuags which might, in other cases, be efficacious. There is a common belief which, like most superstitions, it is excessively difficult to de- stroy, that sulphur is an useful ingredient in what are called " scaly-blight destroyers." I should not be in the least surprised to find that many who hold this belief do so because they have found the black fungus disappear, or lessen, after its use, for sulphur is undoubtedly a remedy for fungoid blights — e.g., oidium, etc. ; and probably they never thought of looking more closely into the matter. All experience goes to show that sulphur, unless applied in such strength as to burn up insects, fungus, tree and all, is not a remedy against Coccids. Comstock, Riley, Hubbard, and others agree in this : and although, in newspaper J Boudier (Assoc. Fran, pour I'avancement des Sc, 1884) includes the European fungi developed in the honeydew of Aphis in the genus Clado- sporhim (Quart. Journ. Roy. Micros. Soc, Aug. 1886, p. 597). IrnusatJians ^m ganlait^ Jn$tit«i^^ Vol. xix. Pi. ii. WMM.deljt A^£py ZE^L/IND COCCI D/E. Maskell. — Further Notes on Coccidse. 46 accounts, and in the replies of farmers to questions from officials or committees, we find sulphur a common ingredient in the thousand-and-one mixtures recommended, I doubt very much if anybody could give an intelligent reason for its employment. No harm will therefore have been done, I think, if this paper should induce gardeners and fruit-growers to go direct to the true origin of disease in their trees and neglect the secondary one. That the fungus will grow independently of scale-insects is, of course, indisputable : but those who wisely consider it as, in the vast majority of cases, merely an accessory to their presence, and who set themselves to destroy the Coccidae or AphidiJffi on the plants, will find the black fungus also very quickly disappear. EXPLANATION OF PLATE I. Fig. Irt. Ctenochiton elcBocar-pi (larva) magnified, with waxy test removed ; showing excreting organ, and bubble of honeydew. Fig. 16. Abdominal extremity of same, magnified, with waxy fringe ; honey- dew bubble bursting. Fig. 2a. Fungoid growth on twig. Fig. 2&. Fungoid growth on leaf. Fig. 2c. ] Fig. Id. \ Varieties of fungoid growths. Fig. 2e. j Aet. III. — Further Notes on New Zealand Coccidse. By W. M. Maskell, F.R.M.S. [Read before tlw Wellington Philosophical Society, 19t/( January, 1887.] Plate II. Group COCCIDIN^. Icerya purchasi, mihi. Plate II., figs. 1-4 (male). By the kindness of the Rev. Mr. Colenso, of Napier, I have received some specimens of the male of this species. No published description of the male Icerya is known to me, though the insect must be common in California. The follow- ing description is therefore here given : — Male insect large ; body red, with a shining, diamond- shaped, black patch on the dorsal surface of the thorax ; legs and antennas black ; wings dark-brown, marked with numbers of parallel, wavy, oblique, narrow stripes ; main nervure red, branching once ; there are also two longitudinal whitish stripes in each wing. Antennae long, slender, with ten joints, all nearly equal ; the last joint is clavate ; all except the first are constricted in the middle and with two dilations, at each of which there is a ring of very long hairs, giving to the antennas 46 Transactions. — Zoology. almost a plumose appearance. From these dilations and the median constriction the antenna appears to have nineteen joints, and it requires dose examination to show that there are really only ten. Eyes very large and prominent, dark- brown, and divided into numerous semi-spherical facets ; at the base of each eye is a prominent tubercle. Feet long, and very hairy; coxae short and thick, tibias long and slender; claw thin. The digitules appear to be represented- by two minute bristles on the claw, as in Ccelostoma zcclandicum. Abdomen long and slender, with eight cylindrical segments, each segment bearing some hairs ; the last segment ends in two conspicuous, thick, cylindrical processes which, when the insect is viewed sideways, are seen to turn upwards, and beneath them the conical, sharp-pointed sheath of the penis turns downwards (figs. 3, 4) ; penis large, reddish-coloured, with many recurved short hairs, and at the end a ring of short spmes. Each terminal process of the abdomen bears three or four long strong setss. Length of the body somewhat variable ; some of my speci- mens attain ^ inch ; expanse of wings ^ inch ; length of antenna ^ inch. This is a very handsome insect, clearly showing the characters of the group MonophlebidcB, and a little resembling the male of Ccelostoma : but specially fine in its variety of colours. The antennae approach those of Lewhia ; the two abdominal terminal processes recall the six or eight tassels of Moiiophlelms. Mr. Colenso informs me that the insect flies strongly and swiftly, which is rather exceptional amongst Coccids, whose wings usually seem too weak for them. Group LECANIDIN^. Sub-section LECANo-CocciDiE.''' Abdominal cleft and lobes present in all stages of female. Insects covermg themselves with a secretion of cottony or felted matter, forming more or less complete sacs. Genus, Eriochiton, gen. nov. Secretion white, felted, formed of agglutinated threads issuing from prominent spiny spinnerets ; inconspicuous or absent on adult female, more or less noticeable on female larvae and pupae ; thick on male pupa. Abdominal cleft and lobes normal. Feet and antennje present in all stages. Adult antennae seven- jointed. Differs from Lecanodiaspis, Targioni, in retaining the feet, and in the antenna3 ; from riiilijijiia, Targioni, in not con- structing its sac, or test, simply for gestation. • "Trans. N.Z. Inst.," vol. xvL, 1883, p. 128. Maskell. — Further Notes on Coccid®. 47 The fact that the tibia is shorter than the tarsus in the adult female, in both the species hei-e given, is quite exceptional in the family. It occurs only, besides in these, in some species of Acantho-cnccidm ; in all others, a tibia shorter than the tarsus is an indication that the specimen examined is not full- grown. I have hesitated to include this amongst the generic characters of EriocJiiton until at least a third species has been found possessing it. Some persons are fond of creating genera and species from a single specimen or two. I do not agree with this. Eriocliiton spinosus. {Ctenocluton spinosus, mihi.) From closer examination of the female test of this species I find that it is not formed of waxy plates but of felted threads.* and I am therefore obhged to remove it from the genus Ctenocluton. It should be described as follows : — Test of female white, thin, formed of felted threads ; inconspicuous in all stages and often absent from the adult, but distinguishable on the larva and on the second, or pupal, stage. The male test (which I have only lately found) is white, thick, felted, oval, convex, averaging ^l inch in length. To the description of the adult female already given in former papers, it must be added that the tibiae are shorter than the tarsi, a very exceptional character. The adult male (only lately found, and apparently very rare) is of the normal Lecanid form ; colour generally dark brown. Eyes : two dorsal, two ventral ; and two ocelli. Antenna of ten joints; the second thicker than the rest, the third and fourth the longest, the eighth, ninth, and tenth moniliform ; all the joints hairy, and on the five last joints are several hairs with clubbed extremities. Feet slender, hairy ; digitules fine hairs. Abdominal spike somewhat strong and sharp ; and on each side of its base is a tubercle bearing two long setfe, and each pair of setse becomes enclosed in a long white cottony thread, the two threads forming conspicuous " tails," as is common with many male Coccids. Eriochiton hispidm, sp. nov. Plate II., figs. 5-8. Test of female white, very thin, felted, formed of threads secreted by the numerous spiny spinnerets. At the edge * The tests of all Lecanids may be said to be more or less " waxy ;" and I am not certain that there is any chemical difference between them : but there must be some reason why, in certain species, the secretion forms plates of wax which are apparently homogenous, whilst in others the threads issuing from the spinneret tubes never entirely coalesce. I believe the dis- tinction which I have made between " waxy," '' cottony," and " felted," and which is made also by other writers, is quite clear enough for generic pur- poses ; though it may never be worth while for anybody to ascertain the chemical reasons for it. 48 Transactions. — Zoology. each thread corresponds with one of the marginal spines, and forms a more or less conspicuous fringe, the segments of which are cylindrical tubes, not feather-shaped as in K. spinosus. Test often absent on the adult female, and always fragmentary : it is better observed on the second, or pupal stage, or on the larva. Test of male white, thick, felted, oval, and convex, com- pletely covering the pupa. Length about ^ inch. As the test exhibits a kind of segmented appearance, with transverse obscure grooves, it may at first sight be mistaken for a dactylopid insect. Larva normal of the Lecanid group ; flat, elliptical, active, exhibiting the abdominal cleft and lobes. Dorsal surface covered with numerous spiny spinnerets, from which issue the threads of the test and fringe. Female of the second (pupal) stage more or less elliptical, slightly convex, reddish-brown in colour beneath the thin white felted secretion, which often presents an obscurely segmented appearance, due to the transverse rows of spiny spinnerets. Dorsum covered thickly with these spines, which are sub-cylindrical, with rounded tips, and spring from tubercular bases. On the ventral surface many small spiny hairs. Abdominal cleft normal, the lobes large. Meutum monomerous, the tip bearing several hairs. Antennae of six somewhat hairy joints. Feet with rather large femora ; digitules all fine hairs. Anogenital ring bearing several hairs. Adult female elliptical, convex, reddish-brown in colour, hollow beneath ; usually affecting the twigs of the plant in preference to the leaves. Apparently naked, but on close inspection found to retain at least portions of the thin felted secretion. Dorsum covered with great numbers of the spiny prominent sub-cylindrical spinnerets ; ventral surface bearing many small spiny hau"s. Antennre of seven joints (fig. 6). Feet with large coxae and femora ; tibia a good deal shorter than the tarsus ; lower digitules only fine hairs. Adult male reddish - brown in colour ; form normal of Lecanidte. Two dorsal eyes, two ventral eyes, two ocelli. Antennae ten-jointed, the last three moniUform ; second, third, and fourth the longest. On the five last joints are several hairs with clubbed extremities. Feet slender, hairy. Abdominal spike rather strong and sharp ; and on each side of its base is a broad tubercle bearhig two long setci3, which become joined in long cottony " tails." Habitat. — On Olearia haastii, found as yet (in great numbers) only on a plant cultivated in the Botanical Gardens, Wellington. It is rapidly killing the shrub. 0. haastii is, I believe, an alpine plant. BtansHtltnns IJmu ^cafanb "Jnstiimc^ Vol. XIX., Pi. ill. fiG 5. ffJfJf.dei^ NEW ZEALyJ/VD INEUSORM . Maskell. — On Freslmater Infusoria, 49 This species is distiuguislied from E. spinosus by the great number of spiny spinnerets on the dorsal surface of the female, and by the cylindrical tubes of the fringe. Its colour is also rather redder and lighter ; but that is not a valuable character. I cannot find any clearly distinguishing marks in the males of the two species. DESCEIPTION OF PLATE II. Fig. 1. Icerya purchasi, male insect. Fig. 2. „ ,, part of antenna. Fig. 3. „ „ extremity of abdomen, viewed from beneath. Fig- 4. ,, ,, extremity of abdomen, side view. Fig. 5. Eriochiton hispidus, adult female. Fig. 6. ,, ,, Antenna. Fig- 7. „ „ Foot. Fig. 8. „ „ Marginal spines and fringe of test. Abt. IV. — Oti the Freshwater Infusoria of the Wellinyton District. By W. M. Maskell, F.E.M.S. [Bead before the Wellington Philosophical Society, BOth June, 1886.] Plates III., IV., V. The following is the result of some investigations by the Microscopical Section of the Wellington Philosophical Society, Messrs. A. Brandon, jun., W. F. Barraud, C. P. Powles, T. W. Kirk, and the writer. These investigations have only been undertaken in the intervals of leisure afforded to men engaged in the ordinary work of life : the result, therefore, can be taken simply as complete as far as it goes ; that is, merely a systematic list of the freshwater infusorian life here. The preparation of similar lists appears to be desirable in any country, and espe- cially so in New Zealand, where the fauna and flora offer still so large a field for the inquiries of students of Nature. The want of full opportunities and ample time, hinted at above, and the difficulty of arranging and working with appara- tus constantly requiring attention, have prevented the members of the section from properly investigating the development of the animalcules herein presented as new to science. But, as these have not necessitated the establishment of any new genera, and as the processes of reproduction have been so fully studied and described in other countries, the defect in the present case is not of great importance. The phenomena of reproduction by fission have, of course, been frequently noticed, but time and opportunity have not been available for their continuous observation. 50 Transactions. — Zoology. Two points require slight mention here. First, it is to be noted that in many instances, where animalcules have been referred in this paper to described species, there have been observed minute variations, not considered sufficiently important to induce the erection of a new species, yet often tending to make identification a matter of some difficulty. Instances of this may be mentioned in the genera Stentor, EiigJena, and others, and especially, perhaps, in the Heterotrichous Order. It has been considered desirable to avoid as much as possible the multiplica- tion of species. Secondly, it is noticeable that in some instances — e.g., Aspidisca turrita, Licnophora setifera — animalcules inhabit freshwater here which are only reported from sea-water in Europe or elsewhere. Finally, it is to be observed that examination has only been made into strictly freshwater animalcules, excluding marine or " infusion" types. The present paper, being only the beginning of what may easily be a long task, has been purposely compli- cated as little as possible. Catalogue of Infusoria. Class I. FLAGELLATA. Order. Flagellata-Pantostomata. Genus Monas. Monasjluida, Duj. Wellington. Monas attenuata,'Di\j. Wellington; Wainui. Probably several others of this genus may also occur here. Genus Scytomonas. Scytomonas pusilla, 8tein. Wellington. Genus Oikomonas. Oikomonas mutabiUs, Kent. Wainui. Genus Cercomonas. Cercomonas grandis, sp. nov. Plate III., fig. 1, a, h, c, d, e. Animalcules free-swimming, variable in shape, globular or elongate, with a single anterior terminal flagellum, and a some- what shorter posterior terminal filament. Flagellum about half the length of the fully extended body. Contractile vesicle single, central. Length when fully extended -ji^ inch = G2yLz. No oral aper- ture. Wellington, TV. M. Maskell. Differs from described species in its very large size. The presence of a caudal filament and the absence of an oral aper ture remove it from the genus Astasia, Maskell. — On Freshwater Infusona. 61 Genus Dendromonas, Dendromonas virgaria, Weisse. Wainui. Genus Anthophysa. Anthophysa socialis, De From. Wellington ; Wainui. Anthophysa vegetans, Mliller. Wellington. Genus Goniomonas. Goniomo7ias truncata, Fres. Wellington. Genus Rhipidodendron. Rhipidodendron huxleyi, Kent. Wainui. This is a peculiar and interesting form, and it is remarkable that the only other recorded specimens are from Dartmoor, in England. Curiously, also, the Wainui infusorian is accom- panied, as m England, by the followmg species, Spongomonas sacculus. Genus Spongomonas, Spongomonas discus, Stein. Wainui. Spongomonas sacculus, S. Kent. Wainui. The occurrence of this curious monad with Rhipidodendron, here, as at Dartmoor in England, seems to suggest possible connection between the two. Neither of the two appears to have been recorded from any other locality. The character of the zoocytium, or common gelatinous granuliferous mass en- closing the animalcules, seems scarcely to vary in the two genera ; and the main difference would appear to lie in the fact that the animalcules of Rhipidodendron inhabit separately the tubes of a branching zoocytium, those of Spongomonas living together in the common mass. Time has not yet permitted a continuous investigation of the two forms, which might not impossibly be found, as hinted above, to be in some way connected. Genus Heteromita. Heteromita lens, Miiller. Wellington. Order. Flagellata-Discostomata, or Choano-Flagellata. (The " collared " monads.) Genus Monosiga. Monosiga consociata, Kent. Wainui. Plate EEI., fig. 2. A figure of this species is given to illustrate the peculiar " collar " of the order. Genus Salpingseca. SalpingcBca amphoridium, James-Clark. Wainui, Karori, Porirua. 62 Trmisactions. — Zoology. Order Flagellata-Eustomata. Genus Phialonema, Phialonema cyclostomum, Stein. Wellington. Genus Astasia. Astasia tricophora, Ehrenberg. Wellington, Wainui, Hutt Valley. Genus Euglena. Euglena viridis, Ehrenberg. Wellington, Wainui, Munga- roa, Hutt Valley. Euglena spirogyra, Ehrenberg. Wellington, Wainui. Euglena acus, Ehrenberg. Wellington. Genus Amblyophis. Amblyophis viridis, Ehrenberg. Wainui. Genus Phacus. Phacus triqueter, Ehrenberg. Wainui, Hutt Valley. Genus Trachelomonas. TracJielomonas colvocina, Ehrenberg. Wellmgton. Trachelomonas armata, Ehrenberg. Wellington, Wainui, Hutt Valley. Trachelomonas crenulatocollis, sp. nov. Plate IH., fig. 3. Lorica elliptical, covered with sharp conical spines, which at the edge form a continuous border of points ; anterior aperture large, and produced in a short tubular fluted neck slightly widening to the end, and terminated by a crenulated edge. Animalcule green ; lorica dark yellow with red edge. Flagellum single. Wainui, Pukerua, Hutt Valley, W. M. Maskell. An elegant little species, distinguished from T. hispida by the fluted tubular neck ; from T. eurystoma by the rough lorica ; and from T. armata by the absence of caudal spines. Genus Uvella, Uvella virescens, Ehrenberg. Wainui, Karori. Genus Dinobryon. Dinohryon sertulatia, Ehrenberg. Wellington. Genus Sterromonas. Sterromonas formicina, Kent. Wellington, Wainui. Order. Cilio-Flagellata. Genus Peridinium. Peridinium tabulatum, Ehrenberg. Wamui, Mungaroa, Karori. l^tHrtsatimtts l^tm gcakntt Jnsiitiitc, Vol. xix., PL IV. WM.M.da-^ NEW ZUL4ND INFUSORM . Maskell. — 0)1 Freshivater Infusoria. 53 A variation of this infusoriau, which might perhaps be a new species, was observed on one occasion, but not sufficiently examined. The cuirass was nearly twice as long as broad, almost ovate, and the posterior extremity exhibited a narrow, not very deep, slit. Class II. CILIATA. Order. Holotrioha. Genus Paramoecium. Paramoecium aurelia, Miiller. Wellington, Wainui, Hutt Valley. Paramoecium hursaria, Ehrenbergj. Wellington, Hutt Valley. Genus Prorodon. Prorodon sulcatus, sp. nov. Plate III., fig. 4 ; a, b. Animalcules free-swimming ; motion gliding, sometimes rotatory, not rapid. Body persistent in shape, cylindrical, ovate, slightly narrowed anteriorly, longitudinally furrowed by numerous, somewhat deep, striae. Oral aperture terminal, narrow; pharynx narrow, cylindrical, somewhat deep, armed with numerous rod-like teeth which are very inconspicuous. Nucleus band-like, curved, sub-central. Contractile vesicle single, at the posterior extremity. Length, ^^ inch = 83 /x ; greatest width, about ^^ inch = 62 fj.. Wellington, W. M. Maskell. No mention appears to be made in descriptions of recorded species of the longitudinal furrows mentioned above. These show as conspicuous strife in viewing the animalcule on the side; but in end view they become apparent as furrows. Other differences from F. niveus, P. teres, etc., are size, the narrowness of the pharynx, and the inconspicuous rods. After treatment with iodine, a kind of protrusion of the oral aperture is some- times visible. Genus Trachelophyllum. Trachelophyllum apiculatum, Perty. Mungaroa. Genus Coleps. (Joleps hirtus, Ehrenberg. Wellington, Wainui. Genus Tillina. Tillina enormis, sp. nov. Plate III., fig. 5. Anunalcule free-swimming ; motion rapid, gliding, some- times spiral. Persistent in shape, elongated, scarcely showing any reniform outline ; length about three times the greatest width. Oral aperture ventral, slightly in advance of the median line ; simple, firinged with cilia longer than those of the body ; 54 Transactions. — Zoology. followed by a distinct curved pharynx. Pharynx simply ciliated throughout. Nucleus oval, conspicuous, sub-central. Con- tractile vesicles two, near the extremities, often exhibiting stellate appearance, as in the figure. Body finely ciliated throughout, also sparsely striated longitudinally. Length gL inch = 833 yu. Wellington, W. M. Maskell. A large and distinct species, placed here in the genus Tillina on account of the characters of the oral aperture and pharynx. The longer ciUa of the former remove it from Paramcecium, and the absence of a vibratile membrane in the latter distinguishes it from Plagiopyla or Coljndium. Anojjhrys has no cilia in the pharynx. Kent assigns to the genus only one contractile vesicle, and in his species, as well as in those reported from America by Professor Stokes,* the outlines are distinctly reniform ; but these points do not seem sufficient to demand a new genus for the New Zealand animalcule. The shape and dimensions given above were very constant in a large number of specimens observed. Tillina inequalis, sp. nov. Plate IV., fig. 6. Animalcules free- swimming ; motion rapid, gliding ; per- sistent in shape, outline sub-reniform, the posterior portion larger than the anterior. Oral aperture ventral, a little in advance of the median line, situated in the shallow and not extensive depression of the body. Oral cilia longer than those of the body. Pharynx curved, not conspicuous, simply ciliated : no vibratile membrane. Nucleus inconspicuous, circular, posteriorly sub-central. Contractile vesicle single, sub-central, near the extremity of the pharynx. The food particles usually collected in a number of circular masses. Body finely ciliated throughout. Length, -^^ iuch = 104 ^< ; greatest width, -^^ inch = 62 fi. Wellington, W. M. Maskell. This animalcule seems most nearly allied to T. inflaia, Stokes, but difi"ers in the inequality of the anterior and posterior portions, and in the shalloAvness of the depression between them. The form and dimensions given are quite constant. Tillina cawpyla, Stokest, is much narrower and smaller generally. Genus Trachelocerca, Trachelocerca Jili/o7~>nis, sp. nov. Plate V., fig. 15 ; a, b, c. Animalcule highly elastic and variable ; body fusiform, somewhat pointed posteriorly, produced when extended into * "Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist.," vol. xv., 6th seiies, p. 441. t "Ann. and Mag. of Nnt. J^ist.," FcK, 1886, p. 101. Maskell. — On Freshwater Infusoria. 55 an exceedingly long filiform neck, often reaching six or seven times the length of the body, and terminating in an obtuse sub-conical region rather wider than the neck, with a circle of longer cilia beneath it. Contractile vesicle single, posterior : endoplast elliptical, sub-lateral. The whole body and neck are marked with a network of striffi. Length when fully extended reaching perhaps -^ inch = 357 fji, but the twistings and curlings of the thread-like neck are so rapid that measurement is very difficult. Wellington, W. F. Barraud. Closely allied to T. olor, Miiller, but differing in the position of the single contractile vesicle and the character of the nucleus. Genus Amphileptus. Amphileptus anser, Ehrenberg. Wellington. Genus Colpidium. Colpidiiim cucullus, Schrank. Wellington. Genus Plagiopyla. Plagiopyla varians, sp. nov. Plate IV., fig 7 ; a, b. Animalcules free- swimming ; motion rapid, gliding ; per- sistent in shape, sub-reniform. Oral fossa ventral, a little in advance of the median line, sometimes shallow, broad, and at right angles to the axis of the body, sometimes tubular, conical and oblique ; containing a narrow vibratile membrane which does not quite reach to the aperture. Nucleus posteriorly located, conspicuous, circular. Contractile vesicles 2, placed between the oral fossa and the posterior extremity. Length, ^ig inch = 125 fx. Wellington, W. M. Maskell. Eesembling P. nasuta, Stein, but differs m the position of the nucleus, the two contractile vesicles, and the variation of the oral fossa. The animalcules observed presented this variable arrangement in a large number of specimens, and were at first thought to be distinct ; but on further consideration they seemed to be really the same. Genus Pleuronema, Pleuronema coronata, Kent. Wainui. This animalcule appears to be identical with Kent's infu- sorian in everything except size. The European species is stated to have a length of only ^'^ inch = 86 /x, whilst the Wainui specimens reached -j^ inch = 125 |/. It is not P. chrysalis, as it possesses long, fine, rigid setae in addition to the cilia. 56 Transactions. — Zoology. Pleuronema cyclidium, sp. nov. Plate V., fig. 16. Animalcules siib-reniform, with very shallow groove, about twice as long as broad, having a number of long fine hau'-like setae over the whole body ; seta3 of equal length throughout. Extensile membrane of the oral region narrow, and rather deep when extended. Contractile vesicle single, at one ex- tremity ; nucleus sub-central, elliptical. A number of granular masses often visible in the parenchyma. Length, ^ato i^^^h = 19 fi. Wellington, A. Brandon. Differs from P. chrysalis and P. coronaia in its extremely small size, which was constant in many hundreds of specimens observed, and which would make it approach nearer to Cyclidium or Uronema, except for the absence of the long caudal setge characterizing those genera. Genus Cyclidium. Cyclidium glaucoma, Ehrenberg. Wellington. Genus Uronema. Uronema marinum, Dujard. Wainui. Order Heterotkicha. Genus Metopus. Metopu^ sigmoides, Mliller. Wellington. Genus Spirostomum. Spirostovium amhiguum, Ehrenberg. Wainui, Hutt Valley. Genus Stentor. Stentor gracilis, sp. nov. Plate V., Fig. 13 ; a, h. Body of moderate size, highly extensile, white or light- brown : when fully extended very slender for almost all its length and suddenly widening to the peristome, giving some- thing of the appearance of a broad-headed nail. Peristome at full extension nearly half as wide as the length of the body. Sides of the extended stem nearly parallel, average width below the peristome region about one-fifteenth of the total length. Parenchyma containing often several dark- coloured granular masses. Contractile vesicle spherical, situated below the peri- stome. Endoplast band-like. Peristome border narrow, slightly emarginate in its whole extent, with a very deep cleft on one side extending for some distance down the stem ; the cleft bears the usual peristomal cilia. Body when free-swimming elongate, racket-shaped, exhibiting the cleft of the peristome almost closed, as a narrow longitudinal slit. Length of the extended animalcule rather mo)e than J-^ inch =^ 883 /(. Wellington, Hutt Valley, W. F. Barraud. Maskell. — On Freshwater Infusoria. 69 The slenderness of tlie extended stem, the sudden widening of the peristome, the deep lateral cleft and the white colour, separate this fi-om all described species. The dimensions and form given were constant in several specimens observed. Stentor stHatus, sp. nov. Plate V., fig. 14 ; a, b. Body very large, dark-green with almost a blue tinge, highly elastic. When fully extended it has something of the shape of an old-fashioned deep champagne-glass, being narrow and very long, widening gradually from the point of attachment to the peristome, which is not recurved and widened, being scarcely wider than the portion of the body beneath it. The peristome edge is irregular, rising at one spot to a sharp point, and in another depressed in a not very deep groove, beneath which is a sub-cylindrical transverse region of very dark - green colour, reaching nearly to the median line : this appears, when the animalcule is free- swimming, as a conspicuous helical coil. Parenchyma containing several large granular masses, often coloured brown. Contractile vesicle spherical, below the peri- stome. Endoplast long, moniliform. The whole body is marked with broad, conspicuous striae, which are most perceptible in the contracted state, and which give a crenulated appearance to the edge when the animalcule rolls over and is seen from one end. Length of the fully extended body j^j inch = 2260 fx. Wellington, Ohariu, W. F. Barraud. The very large size, dark-green colour, conspicuous strife, and scarcely expanded peristome of this species are sufficiently characteristic. Dimensions and form constant in many speci- mens. Order. Peritkicha. Genus Halteria. Halteria grandinella, Miiller. Wellington, Wainui, Hutt Valley, Karori. Genus Strombidium. Strombidium claparedii, Kent. Wellington. Genus Gyrocoris. Gyrocoris occyura, Stein. Wellington, Wainui. Genus Urocentrum. TJrocentrum turbo, MiiUer. Wainui, Hutt Valley. Genus Licnophora. Licnophora setifera, sp. nov. Plate IV., fig. 8; a,h, c. Animalcules free-swimming, sometimes attached ; motion very rapid, jerking or twisting. Body very irregularly shaped ; the foot-like region more or less oval beneath, tumid, and bearing instead of cilia a few, about £0, somewhat strong setas, of which 58 Transactions. — Zoology. the greater number are collected in two groups at the extremi- ties of the foot. Neck-like region long, slender, compressed, elastic, bearing numbers of short fine cilia. Anterior portion or head variable in form from triangular to oval ; peristome- cilia long and conspicuous, surrounding the large oral aperture. Nucleus oval, inconspicuous, situated in the foot-region. Con- tractile vesicle not observed. Length variable, from -g^ inch = 28 /x when contracted, to -g^-Q inch = 71 fi when extended. Welhngton, W. M. Maskell. This is the first species of the genus as yet reported in fresh water. It is somewhat larger than either of the two European marine animalcules, and differs also in the presence of strong setffi, instead of cilia, on the foot-region. Genus Vorticella. Vorticella annularis, Miiller, Karori. Vorticella longijilum, Kent. Wellington. Vorticella campanula, Ehrenberg. Wellington. Vorticella cratera, Kent. Wainui. Vorticella citrina, Ehrenberg. Wellington. Vorticella zealandica. Kirk. Wellington. Vorticella elongata, De From. Wellington. Vorticella patellina, Miiller. Wellington, Wainui. Vorticella nebuli/era, Ehrenberg. Wellington. Vorticella aperta, De From. Wellington. All the above species are reported by Mr. T. W. Kirk, in " Trans. N.Z. Inst.," vol. xviii., 1885, p. 215. Genus Zoothamnium. Zoothamniiim affine. Stein ; var. granulatum, var. nov. Eesembles almost entirely the European infusorian, but has a longer pedicle and a rough granular surface. It was also not observed on aquatic animals, but on plants. Wellington, A. Brandon. Genus Epistylis. Epistylis leucoa, Ehrenberg. Wellington. Ehrenberg's species, according to Kent, p. 705, has not been observed for many j^ears. The present infusorian agrees with it entirely, with the exception that the surface is granular and the colonies larger, containing 20 to 85 individuals. Genus Opercularia. Opercularia parallela, sp. nov. Plate IV., fig. 9. Body slender, about three times as long as broad, sides parallel for about two-thirds the length from the margin, then Maskell. — On Freshwater Infusoria. 50 tapering rapidly to the pedicle. Peristome border not, or only slightly, thickened. Ciliary disc moderately elevated, cilia in a single row. Endoplast baud-like, curved, nearly transverse. Cuticular surface granular. Contractile vesicle single, near anterior margin. Pedicle annulated, branched. Length of body gi^ inch = 71 /u. Wellington, T. W. Kirk. Closely allied to O. cylindrata, Wrzes., but more cylindrical and rough, without strise. Genus Vaginicola. Vaginicola crystallina, Ehrenberg. Karori. Genus Platycola. Platycola longicollis, Kent. Wellington. Order. Hypotkicha. Genus Litonotus. Litonotus fasciohi, Ehrenberg. Wellington, Wainui. A specimen from Karori appeared to be also of this species, but exhibited a number of transverse corrugations. Genus Chilodon. Chilodon cucullulus, Miiller. Wellington, Hutt Valley. Genus Loxodes. Loxodes rostrum, Ehrenberg. Wellington. Doubtful. Genus Stichotricha. Stichotricha remex, Hudson. Wainui. Genus Psilotricha. Psilotricha acuminata, Stein. Wainui. Genus Uroleptus. Uroleptus musculus, Miiller. Wellington, Hutt Valley. Genus Gastrostyla. Gastrostyla Steinii, Engelmann. Wainui. Genus Histrio. Histrio acuminatus, sp. nov. Plate IV., fig. 10. Animalcules elongate-elliptical, with nearly parallel sides, somewhat pointed at the posterior extremity ; border evenly ciliated. Peristome-field large, with long cilia and conspicuous reflected border, ciliated on left side. Three large uncinate frontal styles and a few smaller ventral setae. Five simple anal styles, which project for about two-thirds of their length beyond the posterior extremity. Contractile vesicle single, situated just below the peristome-field. Endoplast elongated, conspicuous. 66 Tramactions. — Zoology. Length about y|^ inch = 139 jx. Welhugtou, Wainui, A. Brandon. This animalcule resembles //. simiJis, Quennerstedt, but differs in the acuminate posterior extremity, and in the freshwater habitat. Genus Stylonichia. Stylonichia mytiliis, Ehrenberg. Wellington, Wainui, Hutt Valley. Genus Aspidisca. Aspidisca turrita, Claparede. Wellington. The European species only inhabits salt-water. There appear to be no differences between it and our New Zealand form, and the only point to be noted is the freshwater habitat. An animalcule observed, having a very short and blunt dorsal spine, even in some instances without spine, is taken to be only a variety of this species. Genus Glaucoma. Glaucoma scintillans, Ehrenberg. Hutt Valley. Genus Euplotes. Euplotes patella, Ehrenberg. Wellington, Wainui, Hutt Valley, Mungaroa, Karori. Class 111. TENTACULIFEEA. Order. Tentaculifeka-Suctoria. Genus Sphserophrya. Spharophrya magna, Maupas. Wellington. This animalcule seems to agree entirely with Maupas' species (which is reported only from Algeria), with the excep- tion of its size, which reaches -^ inch = 56 /x as against -^^ inch =41 fx in the African infusorian. All other characters being similar, it is not thought desirable to consider it as even a variety. Genus Acineta. Acineta elegans, sp. nov. Plate IV., fig. 11. Lorica vase-shaped, with distinctly reversed margin, which is chiefly apparent at each side. Lorica widening somewhat below the edge, and rapidly compressed beneath, though not at once closing, but produced downwards to a point whence there is a short pedicle. Length from the point to the orifice about twice the width of the expanded margin. Animalcule nearly spherical, only occupying the upper half of the cup ; tentacles forming two antero-lateral groups with about fourteen in each group ; tentacles distinctly capitate, rather longer than the diameter of the animalcule. Contractile vesicle spherical, eccentric. Eudo- plast indistinct. Parenchyma granular. lrittt$atiton$ ^$m $i$nhntx Jtt$lttitt% Vol. xix., pi. v. /"/G 16 WMM^^^ NEW ZEAL/IND INFUSORM . Maskell. — On Freshwater Infusoria. 61 Length of lorica, exclusive of pedicle, 3^^ inch = 83 /x ; width at margin ^i^ inch = 41 ;u ; length of pedicle, -^-^ inch = 12 ^ usually, but reaching sometimes xyoo i^^h =; 16 u. Wellington, C. P. Poicles. The animalcule of this species very nearly resembles that of A. grand is, Kent; but the form of the lorica separates it from all described species. A. pocuhim, Hartwig, a saltwater infu- sorian somewhat resembling it, has apparently a long pedicle. Acineta simplex, sp. nov. Plate V., fig. 12. Lorica wine-glass shaped, anterior edge not narrowed, lip not reversed, posterior extremity rounded, sides nearly parallel ; pedicle moderately stout, about twice as long as the lorica. Animalcule occupying the anterior half of the lorica, sub- spherical. Tentacles capitate, arranged in two groups of about ten in each. Contractile vesicle situated on one side near the anterior margin. Length of lorica, j^ inch = 50 yu = 41 ^. Wellmgton, T. W. Kirk. Amongst the division of AcinetcB having the tentacles in two groups, the nearest to this seems to he A. [/randis, Kent; but the sizes differ greatly, the European species having a length of to vV inch = 250 to 333 fi ; also its lorica tapers much width of edge, -^^ inch 100 more rapidly to the base, which is obtusely pointed. EXPLANATION OF PLATES. Platk III. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Cercomonas grandis. Monosiga consociata (after S. Kent) Trachelomonas crenulatocollis. Prorodon sulcatus. Tillina enormis. Platk IV. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Tillina inequalis. / Plagiopyla varians. Licnophora setifera. j Opercularia parallela. \ Histrio acuminatus. \ Fig. 11. Acineta elegans. Plate V. Fig. 12. Acineta simplex. Fig. 13. Stentor gracilis. Fig. 14. Stentor striatus. Fig. 15. Trachelocerca filiformis. Fig. 16. Pleuronema cyclidium. 62 Transactions, — Zoology. Art. V. — On New Zealand Glow-worms. By G. V. Hudson. [Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, ith August, 1886.] Plate VIa. The following article by Mr. Meyrick appeared in tlie " Ento- mologists' Monthly Magazine," for April, 1886 : — " A Luminous Insect Larva in N.Z. — Whilst collecting recently after dark beside a densely shaded creek near Auckland, New Zealand, I observed the precipitous earthy banks of the creek illuminated with great numbers of a larva, which has, I believe, never been reared. It resembles in general appearance an Annelid, being about an inch and a half in length, very slender, slimy, and without apparent organs ; but under a micro- scope (as Prof. Hutton has shown me) the head appears that of a predaceous coleopterous larva — e.g., one of the StaphylinidcB. The light consists of a small light-greenish white erect flame, rising from the back of the neck. The larva burrows in the earth, exposing the head and anterior portions from the burrow, but having in front of them a sort of irregular slimy network. They occur in great numbers ; I have counted fifty in a square foot of surface. The same or a similar species has been noticed in caves and mines elsewhere in New Zealand. It is impossible for a wandering entomologist to attack a larva of these habits. I should therefore be interested if any reader can give me a clue to its systematic identification. I suppose that it is car- nivorous, feeding on minute insects, and I conjecture that it uses its lamp (as I do mine) to attract them, or perhaps to see to eat them. — E. Meyrick, Wellmgton, N.Z. — 24th January, 1886." " [There is distinct necessity for further mformation (with examples in fluid) respecting the animal noticed above. The larvsD of Staphylinidce are ordinarily so like the perfect insect in form (allowing for absence of elytra, etc.) that we venture to doubt the connection of the animal with that family. — Editors, ' Eut. Mon. Magazine.'] " It is extremely unfortunate that such an erroneous state- ment as the above, concerning one of our most interesting insects, should bo the first to reach the ears of the London entomologists ; and as it is the opinions of those gentlemen that will most influence us out here, I have instituted a number of observations on the insect, a summary of which I have sent in answer to the Editors' note, and propose to relate them to-night Hudson. — On New Zealand Glow-worms. 63 in a somewhat more extended form. But in order that my remarks may be better understood, I will commence by stating that the Staph ijlinidcB are one of the most well-marked families of the Coleoptera, being none other than the famous Cocktail or Eove Beetles ; their larvse are furnished with six strong thoracic legs, a lai'ge head, and powerful mandibles, thus differing, as will be seen, in the widest possible manner from the insect under review. Everyone who has walked in the bush at night, or, indeed, along any road at the bottom of a steep gully, cannot fail to have noticed the little points of light, mentioned as occurring in such vast numbers by Mr. Meyrick. I have not yet, however, seen 50 to the square foot of surface, although perhaps others may have been more fortunate ; but, in my case, I should regard 20 of these little stars visible from one standpoint as iudicatmg an exceptionally wealthy region. When carefully examined witla a bull's-eye lantern and pocket lens, this light is found to proceed from a large glutinous knob, situated at the posterior extremity of the larva, a fact I have verified by repeated investigations : but the insect's curious habit of occasionally travelling backwards has doubtless led to this mistake. It inhabits irregular cavities in the bank, where it hangs suspended in a glutinous web, which also appears to envelope the body, large quantities of sticky mucus being periodically shot out of the mouth of the larva, and formed into threads as required ; but I have never seen anything like a net extended in front of the insect, neither have I found flies or gnats detained in the webs, although I have examined a large number. At the back of this irregular chamber the larva con- structs a small hole, into which it retreats with great rapidity when alarmed. With regard to its food, I am unable to speak with absolute certainty on this point at present, but have little doubt that it consists of decaying vegetable matter. One individual I kept alive for eight weeks was enclosed in a small jar of mud, taken from his native bank, and placed in a caterpillar cage, where no flies or other small insects could possibly be obtained ; as, how- ever, there were some small earthworms in the mud, it might have subsisted on these, although I examined the insect nearly every night and morning and never saw it eat anything. The light is not shown by any means regularly. On several occasions I have observed no light all the evening, and then a brilliant display at 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning, but have not noticed any peculiar meteorological conditions to affect this. As to its use, I do not think that Mr. Meyrick's explanation can be entertained, as I am sure everyone who has attracted insects at night will know how utterly inadequate such a minute point of light would be to draw them from the shortest distance. If 64 Transactions. — Zoolof/i/. the larva requires a lamp to see to eat by, nearly all the New Zealand insects should have lights, as they are chiefly nocturnal. When, however, we reflect that the construction of the bee's comb is always carried on in utter darkness, the light would seem unnecessary for this purpose. If I might be allowed to suggest a use, I think it may often assist the larvse in escaping from enemies, as when disturbed they nearly always gleam very brilliantly for a few seconds, suddenly shutting oii' the light and retreating into the earth. Of the pupa state I am as yet quite ignorant, as the only larva I succeeded in rearing was left undis- turbed during that condition, in order to insure the appearance of the imago. This turns out to be a small gnat, apparently one of the Tipulida, and not differing materially from many of those little long-legged Dipterons so often noticed on window- panes and in similar situations. The specimen, which is the only one I have as yet found, is now on its way Home for identifica- catiou by a systematic dipterist, and will in all probability be found undescribed. Note. — Since the above was written, I have been informed by Baron Osten-Sacken, to whom I sent the perfect insect for identification, that it is Trimkra piUipes, the larva of which is well-known and diflerent from the glow-worm. He still agrees, however, that the glow-worm is the larval condition of a gnat (Mi/cetopJiilida;), and certainly not of a Coleopterous insect. — G.'V. H. DESCEIPTION OF PLATE VIa. Fig. a. N.Z. Glow-worm ; larva of a small gnat {TipuUdcc). Fig. h. Larva of a Eove Beetle (Stapkylinidcc). Art. VI. — Note on a cunous Double Worm. By T. W. KiKK (Geological Survey Department). [Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 19th January, 1886.] Plate VIi3. Some tune ago, Mr. W. Marshall informed my father that there were some curious double worms in the Rangitikei, and promised to send him one. This promise he fulfilled a few weeks ago, the specimen now on the table being the one sent. It was placed in my hands for determination. I am not aware of any record of an Annehd of similar appearance. The anterior portion is about 1 inch in length and ^th of an inch in diameter, and pre- sents nothing peculiar so far ; but from the posterior end of this Itansatttuns ^m ^tnlnn^ %miiinit, Vol. xix., pi. VI.= 8^ VIJ CO i 4 f / 'PL/ITE yJ? M DOUBLE WRM.- m yji Fig. Z . Plate V/f alpheus hales//. To MxJLsiTctte. TaJve^s 'by J:7f.K-u-l0. T. W. Kirk. — On Ixodes maskellii. 66 thick part, which terminates abruptly, spring two limbs, each 2^ inches in length, and of an average diameter of ^th inch. These appendages make the animal look most grotesque. At first sight, these limbs look as though two worms of smaller circumference were grafted on to an abnormally short and thick individual. At thnes they trail behind like two tails, or are gathered up, sometimes together, sometimes one is moved first, the body pushed slightly forward with that, then the other is used, and so on alternately. The anal aperture is situate immediately at the posterior end of the thick portion, and between these two limbs or tails. There is no aperture in the end of either limb, though there is a spot which at first sight gives the impression that an opening is present. I have not yet examined it very critically, lest it should sustain damage and die before I was able to exhibit it to this meeting. It is a species of Acmithodrilis ; but the question arises : Is it only an abnormal form, or are they tolerably common ? Probably they are far from rare, as Mr, Marshall, in forwarding it, says : " I send you one of those two-tailed bush-worms I spoke to you about ;" thus implying that he hal seen others. He has been asked to endeavour to procure more specimens, and to send any information in his possession regarding their habits, abundance, etc. Till this information is received I prefer to suspend further decision as to its specific value. This note was written for a meeting called in October, and which lapsed for want of a quorum. The worm has since died ; but, as no other specimens have yet been received, I hesitate to dissect this one, and until that is done I feel that the examina- tion is necessarily incomplete. DESCRIPTION OF PLATE VIb. Fig. a. Double worm [Acanthodrilis), seen from above. Fig. h. „ ,, seen from below. Art. VII. — Ofi Ixodes maskellii, a Parasite of the Albatross (Diomedea exulans). By T. W. Kirk. [Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, I'jth January, 1886.] I HAD intended in this short paper to include a number of species of parasitic insects lately obtamed from young speci- mens of the Pencilled Albatross; but as I have been unable yet to identify several specimens, in consequence of th 5 66 . Tramactions, — Zoology. difficulty experienced in obtaining works of reference, they will be retained for a future occasion, and your attention directed to a very large tick, two specimens of which were found with their claws so firmly imbedded in the neck of the bird as to render it impossible to remove them without the loss of some of their legs. The genus to which this belongs is a very interesting one, for Mr. Murray tells us that their habits are at first herbivorous, that from the vegetation they find their way to the creatures on which they fix, and that when mature they avail themselves of every opportunity of fixing upon vertebrate animals, whose blood they suck instead of sap. It is very remarkable that these creatures should be at one time phytophagous and at another carnivorous. And it would seem that the usual special adaptation of structure to kind of food is absent; but Mr. Murray says that the anomaly is only apparent, and goes on to say that "carnivorous mammals are provided with dift'erent apparatus for obtaining their food from that of vegetable feeders ; not on account of the different chemical constituents of their food, but on account of the different form in which it is presented to them for consumption and assimilation. If, for example, the food of both were pre- sented to them in a liquid state, in the one case blood, and in the other juice of plants, we may be sure that the carnivorous canines in one case, and the vegetarian molars in the other, would be alike dispensed with, and both would be furnished with a sucking-up or pumping apparatus, which might be identical, if no speciality in the mode in which the liquid presented itself called for a difference. There might be a difference in the structure of their viscera, adapted to the character of the liquid food, but there is no reason why the external and oral structure should not be the same in both. This is what we find in all suctorial insects, bugs, gnats, Acari, etc. All are provided with a sucking apparatus constructed on a similar plan, which some use upon animals and others upon plants." I read recently that some insects — for instance, the London house-bug — feed indiscriminately upon the juice of plants and the blood of animals. The impossibility of the immense numbers of mosquitos that we meet with in the forests ever obtaining food if restricted to the blood of mammals has probably struck most of you. Is it not likely that they also are capable of living on a vegetarian diet, when no nice juicy specimen of humanity is forthcoming. The insect to be noticed — viz., Ixodes vutskellii (which I have ventured to name after Mr. Maskell, who described the only other species yet recorded from New Zealand) — is pro- bably one of the largest of the genus, being, when alive, just under half an inch in length, excluding the rostrum; it is T. W. Kirk. — On the English Scaly Lizard. 67 elliptical, but with a pronounced lateral compression on the anterior third of the body, then gradually expanding again, the hinder third being slightly wider than the anterior. On the dorsal aspect two crescent-shaped shallow grooves rise from the posterior angles of the shield, and extend backwards for about one-third the length of the body, terminating in deep pits immediately opposite the lateral constrictions ; from these pits two deep crescent-shaped grooves extend backwards, ceasing abruptly a short distance from the posterior margm. A straight medial depression, not so pronounced as the crescents, runs between them from the posterior margin for rather more than a third the length of the body. The pits are connected by a transverse line. On the under-side, a deep and wide central groove starts at the posterior margin and runs for about one-fourth the length of the animal. Two equally deep and wide grooves commence in a line with the insertion of the third pair of legs, and run backwards, gradually widening till they reach the centre of the mesial groove, when they turn in rapidly, giving the mclosed space (from the third pair of legs to the posterior margin,) much the outline of a Florence flask. The rostrum, in addition to the spines possessed by all the members of the genus, appears to be armed on its under side with five lines of hard-pointed tubercles. The body of the animal when alive is of a delicate French- grey colour ; the shield on the head pale-brown ; legs red, with white at the joints ; rostrum same colour as the body. It is generally supposed that a separate species of tick is appropriated to a particular species of animal. Although this appears to be usually the case it is not always so, as proved by the fact that in England the common species /. erinaces is found on rough herbage, in forests; and on dogs, cattle, foxes, and hedgehogs. A short time since I found on a large gull a tick exactly similar to the one from the Crested Penguin described about two years ago by Mr. Maskell. Art. VIII. — On the Occurrence of the English Scaly Lizard (Zootoca vivipara) in New Zealand. By T. W. KiKK. [Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 30th June, 1886.] In August of 1883 I had the pleasure of bringing under the notice of the Society two English butterflies — viz., the Eed Admiral, or Alderman, and the Small Tortoiseshell, both of which were captured in the Wellington Botanic Gardens — and drew attention to the fact that the importation of plants and 68 Transactions. — Zoology. seeds from various countries had become so extensive that it was ahuost certain much foreign animal Hfe, some useful and some destructive, would be brought into the colony. It was also pointed out that, in order that the noxious forms might be more speedily detected, and to prevent confusion in future publications, it was advisable that the occurrence of unknown or uncommon species in a district should be promptly recorded. The importation which I have now to notice is much higher in the scale than those already mentioned. It is the English Scaly Lizard (probably famiUar to many persons present who in their young days rambled about the English country dis- tricts). As its food consists exclusively of insects, it is not likely to prove an unwelcome visitor. Several specimens were captured about a year ago, on the Tinakori Hills, and one on the road, as it was crossing from the Botanic Gardens towards the shelter of the opposite bank. Being certain that it was quite distinct from any described New Zealand species, I took it to be a new form, and it was not until recently, when working up the specimens, that I became con- vinced it was a true British species. As I have only found it in the localities mentioned, I con- clude some specimens must have been brought to the Botanic Gardens in cases of plants. The following is the technical description : — ZOOTOCA. Nostril on one side of the nose, in the lower hinder angle of the nasal shield, with one small posterior nasal. Lower eyelid opaque, scaly. Throat with a narrow cross-fold under the ears. Abdominal shields square. Temple scales small, with a larger central one. Pre-anal shield single, surrounded by smaller ones. Z. vivipara. (Gray, Cat. Liz. Brit. Mus., p. 27.) Ventral shields, 8-rowcd ; the temple covered with many- sided shields, Avith a larger central shield ; olive, back with a white-edged blackish streak on each side, and a central black streak ; belly orange, black spotted. According to Wood, many of the habits of this pretty little creature resemble those of our common brown lizard, or Moko- moko, so abundant on the hills and beaches around Wellington. In England, it is found plentifully upon the banks and com- mons ; it is extremely lively, and progresses by means of a series of shai'p twists and springs. It captures flies and other insects with great dexterity. So quick arc its movements, and so sharp its sight, that capture is far from easy. The colour is extremely variable, but generally the upper parts are olive-brown, with a dark brown line often interrupted along the middle of the back, PuRDiE. — Description of a New Species of Moth. 69 and a broader band along each side, with black spots and blotches interspersed ; the uuder-parts are orange, spotted with black in the male, and olive-grey in the female. The length is about 6 inches, ^ It is one of the reptiles that produce living young, the eggs being hatched just before the young lizards are born. The usual plan adopted by reptiles is to lay the eggs in some spot where the sun's rays are able to warm them. But the Scaly Lizard is in the habit of lying on a sunny bank before the young ones are born, apparently for the purpose of gaining sufficient heat to hatch the eggs, a process which is much aided by the extreme thinness of the membrane covering them. Abt. IX. — Description of a Neiv Species of Moth (Pasiphila lichenodes). By Alex. Puedie, M.A. IRead be/ore the Wellington Philosophical Society, 8th September, 1886.] The genus Pasiphila is a very distinct genus of the New Zea- land (zf-omeirwirt, containing some of the smallest moths in that division. In his monograph of the New Zealand Geometrina,^ Mr. Meyrick maintains that there is but one species of this genus in New Zealand, and to this opinion I have already made objection in a paper in the "New Zealand Journal of Science " for July, 1884, in which it was urged that at least two species had been included under the name Pasiphila bilineolata. Since then I have bred out a third form from the caterpillar state; so that, besides the species to be described to-night, there are at least three other species of Pasiphila in New Zealand. I have also, besides these, several doubtful forms ; but Mr. Meyiick has admitted to me that he had wrongly included four, if not five, distinct species under the one name. As, however, he intends shortly to write upon this subject, it will be well to leave to him the disentanglement of the synonomy, as it is a matter upon which, perhaps, he alone is qualified to speak with authority. Here I take the opportunity of acknowledging Mr, Meyrick's kindness and readiness in furnishing information regarding insects sent to him. Those that are acquainted with English moths may easily recognize the New Zealand species of Pasiphila by their likeness in size and appearance to the various species of Evpithecia, to which the New Zealand genus is closely allied. The members of this genus are small moths, usually less than an inch across • " Trans. N.Z. InBt.," vol. xvi., p. 49; xvii,, p. 62 ; xviii., p. 184. ?6 Transactions. — Zoology. the wings, aud tliey rest ou tree-trunks or rock-faces with their wings flatly spread out, the inner half of the hindwings not being covered by the forewings, and sharing the colouring and markings of the forewings. The neuration of the forewings also serves readily to distinguish this genus, for usually in the fore- wings of our Geometrina twelve veins can be counted along the margin ; but in this genus, and in the next to it, — namely, Elvia — the eleventh vein coalesces with the twelfth and appears only as a short bar from the upper side of the small cell to the twelfth vein, so that only eleven veins appear on the margin. Pasiphila lichenodes. Expanse, 16-19 mm. General description : Ground colour glaucous-green, with finely crenulated black lines, and two conspicuous, irregular, transverse bands of light brownish- red or chocolate colour, one near the base, the other near the hindmargin. Detailed description : Forewings with slightly arched costa, hindmargin with a slight swelling or convexity about the middle, not creuulate ; ground colour glaucous-green, becoming paler with exposure. Basal area very pale pinkish or reddish-brown, bordered by a black line sharply angulated at the middle, and followed by a broad pinkish or reddish- brown band, also bordered on the outer side by a black line. This band is contracted about the lower side of the cell, so as to be nearly divided into two unequal blotches. The centre of the wing is occupied with a broad belt of the glaucous-green ground colour, boldly angulated about the middle of the outer side. This central belt is occupied with three finely crenulated black lines, which are so closely placed that they seem almost to divide the central belt into imbricating green scales edged with black. The central belt is also bordered along the outer edge by a black line. Betw^een the central belt and the sub-marginal line is another broad belt, of a chocolate or reddish-brown colour, sometimes divided into two unequal blotches by the angulation of the outer side of the central belt. This reddish-brown band is crenulated on the outer side and edged with a pale sub -marginal line which follows the crcnulations. Between this and the margin the ground colour appears without any distinct markings. The black lines of the forewing are sometimes edged with paler lines. The hindmargin is edged with an intcnupted black line. Fringe fuscous and pale alternately. Hindwings with a distinct convexity, rather below the middle of the hindmargin. Inner half with colour and markings similar to those of the forewings. Outer half paler, greyish or whitish, markings not so distinct. Below, the forewings are fuscous, with a few of the black lines showing along PuRDiE. — Description of a New Species of Moth, 71 tlie costal edge, while the hindwings are greyish white, with a black discal dot and a few faint lines. This species has received its specific name because its colourings and markings seem to me to have a protective like- ness to those of the thaUus and theccc of some lichens. It occurs not uncommonly in the forest about the river-bed in the upper part of the Leith Valley, Dunedin. I have collected specimens in the latter part of January ; and it is not known to Mr. Fereday or to Mr. Meyrick, except from my specimens ; hence its range must be somewhat limited. I stated that I had bred out three species of Pasiphila from the larval state, and the descriptions of the larvae are here sub- joined. Specimens of the perfect insects have been sent to Mr. Meyrick for identification. There seem to be differences between these caterpillars quite unusual in the case of closely- alhed species. The first and second descriptions are reprinted from the "N.Z. Journal of Science" for July, 1884 :— No. 1. Pasiphila, sp.? " Larva smooth, green, about 10 mm. long ; an indistinct dorsal and sub-dorsal stripe of darker green ; underside green, with a light ventral stripe ; head yellowish. Formed small rough earthen cocoons on the surface of the earth. The food- plant is 2Iyoporum. Icetum. Larvae m March. (See ' N.Z. Journ. Sc.,' March, 1882, p. 95.)" No. 2. Pasiphila, sp.? " Larva about 12 mm. long. Colour brownish ; surface very rugged ; body tapermg somewhat towards the head. Two pair of small dorsal tubercles about the middle, the posterior pair being larger. Oblique lateral dark markings faintly seen on the dark ground colour ; below lighter. I have beaten this larva from Aristotelia, from. Leptospernnim ericoides, and from a mixed growth of bramble {Rubus) and Muhlenheckia. Larva in Decem- ber and January." No. 3. Pasijyhila, sp.? Larva loopers fi-om 13 to 17 mm. long, with a black median dorsal line, and on each side of it a black sub-dorsal line. The whole dorsal area between the sub-dorsal lines is brown, or brownish-black, while the rest of the back is greenish-white ; below greenish-white ; lateral line and median ventral line, white ; there are sometimes dark blotches above the lateral line, while below it the ground colour is sufl'used with purplish-black. The median dorsal line is often bordered with greenish-white. The larvaB were found about full-grown, feeding on Veronica salicifoUa, in the Leith Valley, Dunedin, in the beginning of April. Two of the moths were reared, one of which bad the 72 Transactions. — Zoology. ground-colour greenish, while the other was brownish. At the same time, and on the same plants, a considerable number of larvfB, resembling the above in shape and size, were collected. Some of these had the ground-colour green, with very faint dorsal and sub-dorsal lines, the dorsal area being green, or only faintly clouded with black. Others had the ground-colour green, while the dorsal and sub-dorsal lines were distinct and black, and the dorsal area between the sub-dorsal lines was filled with alternate light and reddish - brown blotches. The two last forms had their other characters as in the first- described form, and they may be immature stages, or the larva may be a variable one. Art. X. — On New Species of Araneidea. By A. T. Urquhart. [Read before the Otago Institute, VJth November, 1886.] Plates VII., VIII. Fam. EPEIKID^. Genus Epeira, Walck. Epeira cornigatum, sp. nov. Plate VII., fig. 1. Female. — Ceph. th., long, 4 ; broad, 4 ; facial index, 2. Abd., long, 8 ; broad, 7. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 17, 16, 14, 9 mm. Cephalothorax chocolate-black ; short, adpressed, yellowish hairs ; in length equal to genua and tibijB of a leg of 4th pair ; depressed, sides rounded, moderately constricted foi*- wards ; ocular eminence not very prominent, mammiform prominences on caput slightly developed, lateral index {i.e., length of caput from strife to fore-angle) nearly equals space between a posterior lateral eye and the hind-central next to it ; median indentation on thorax transverse, radial and caput stria? rather faint ; contour of profile forms an undulating curve, rising at occiput, which slopes abruptly forwards ; height of cli/peus nearly equals facial space. Fore and hind rows of eyes moderately recurved ; posterior centrals separated by an interval equal to about twice their diameter, nearly twice their si)ace from hind-laterals ; anterior centrals about one-fourth larger than posterior, placed rather further fiom each other — nearly their diameter and a-half — than each is from the hind-central next to it ; lateral eyes Beated moderately obliquely on low tubercles, nearly their diameter apart. Itimsatliotts '^m §itnhn^ %n^iM$, Vol. xix., Pi.vii. ATI/ deLb NEW ZF/IUND SP/DERS. Uequhart. — On New Species of Araneidea. *tt Legs rather slender, femora dark lake-colonr, suffused with brown, convex above, spines ; genua and tibiae grooved, these joints, with metatarsi and tarsi, have a dark lake- brown hue, faintly annulated with chocolate-brown, rings of white and black hairs ; besides irregular spines above, tibiae have a double row of 6, metatarsi two rows of 4 yellowish spines beneath. Superior tarsal claws — 1st pair, 9 comb-teeth, in- creasing in length and strength ; inferior claw, 2 close teeth. Palpi slender, dark chocolate-brown, short yellowish bristles, palpal claw moderately curved, 9 teeth, directed forwards. Falces conical, vertical, convex, project forwards in front, not equal to femora of first pair in stoutness, bright lake -brown. Maxillce nearly as broad as long, obliquely truncated, in- clined towards labium, which is somewhat triangular, more than half length of maxillre ; organs chocolate-brown, light apices. Sternum cordate, eminences opposite coxae brown-black, light hairs. Fore part oi abdomen somewhat pointed, carinate, moderately convex, projects over base of thorax ; posterior half broad, semi-oval, depressed, transversely corrugated, incurvate ; mar- ginal zone directed inwards, longitudinally corrugated ; anterior tubercles applauate, apex rounded, directed outwards ; posterior tubercles, which project from transverse wrinkles, are broad, rounded, applanate, directed backwards ; in first row are three of about equal size, beneath central tubercle there is another rather larger, beneath latter a small one ; integument black- brown, base and lateral margins more or less spotted with dull creamy-buff coloured flecks ; on dorsal surface is a large, slightly flecked black-brown, acute-crenate, leaf-like mark, the black, buff-margined, carinate eminence forming the petiole ; sparsely clothed with very short, close, and erect hairs. On ventral surface is a large greenish-brown, transversely wrinkled, cordate mark, with two large buff spots beneath branchial oper- cula, and two above spinners. Fore part of epigyne repre- sents a yellowish, transversely-wrinkled, semicircular, cucullate membrane, centrally produced into a large, transversely wrinkled lip with tumid incurved margins, its greatest diameter is across centre, from whence it forms a moderately acute angle, apex produced into a clear yellow vermiform process, equal to three-fourths of hp in length; lateral margins of hood, on pos- terior side, involute within dark spotted concavity. Male. — Ceph. th., long, 4 ; broad, 3'5. Abd., long, 4'5 ; broad, 3. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 15, 14, 11, 8 mm. Cephalothorax mahogany-colour, hairs sparse, yellowish ; sides prominently rounded, laterally constricted at caput, which is rather depressed, ocular eminence prominent ; median indentation longitudinal, oval, deep ; normal grooves slight. 74 Transactions. — Zoology. Posterior central eyes separated by a space equal to their diameter and a half; anterior centrals rather more than that interval from each other, and about their diameter fi-om hind- median eyes, separated from fore-laterals by about their space and a quarter ; laterals on dark tubercles, about their radius apart. Leys yellowish, moderately defined brown annulations ; 1-2 pair rather stout ; strong curved process on outer side of coxfe of 1st pair ; armature sparse light hairs, spines numerous, yellowish, base dark, cluster of 8 short curved spines near apex of tibiffi of 2 ; 3-4 rather slender ; long spines on inferior surface of femora, especially of 4th pair. Superior tarsal claws — 1st pan-, 9 teeth, 4 termmal strong ; inferior claw, 2 close teeth. Paljd yellowish, humeral joint stout, tuft of bristles project from tumid eminence on mferior sm-face near apex of article ; cubital joint broad, somewhat spathulate, projects at apex a long strong bristle; radial joint shortest, articulated to inferior surface of cubital, produced on outer side into a large linear- oval yellowish process ; digital joint broad-oval, convex and moderately hairy externally, convexities directed towards each other, base of convexity produced on outer side into a rather long, stout, curved apophysis of a dark-reddish colour ; bulb, viewed from somewhat beneath, represents a series of bright red-brown dark - margined folds ; terminates with several large tumid, introflexed, somewhat lip-shaped dark lobes ; near apex, directed forwards, is a horizontal, dark, curved membranous apophysis, a prolongation of an upper fold, behind this apoi^hysis there is a short process, curved backwards. Falces slender, vertical, yellowish. Abdomen somewhat oviform, specific pattern and coloration does not differ essentially from female. Pairs about November. Cocoon sub-globose, composed of dark-green silk of a loose texture, about two metres in diameter ; eggs pinkish, spherical, 350-645 in number. Te Karaka, Auckland, A.T.U. Otago, F. Ooyen. E'peira j)ocillator, sp. nov. Female. — Ceph. th., long, 5 ; broad, 4 ; facial index, 2-2. Abd., long, 10; broad, 8. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 17, 15, 13-5, 9'5 mm. Cephalothnrnx lake-chocolate colour, hairs adpressed, sparse, yellowish ; rather depressed, sides not prominently rounded, moderately constricted at caput, sides of which are not very abrupt, lateral index equals space between a hind-lateral eye and the hind-central next to it, ocular eminence fairly pro- minent, mammiform eminences moderately developed ; median Urquhart. — On New Species of Araneidea. tB indentation transverse, normal grooves not strongly marked ; contour of profile horizontal above, dips moderately posteriorly and anteriorly, rising at occiput. Height of chjimis rather ex- ceeds space between fore-central eyes. Fore and hind row oieyes moderately recurved ; four centrals of equal size ; posterior pair separated by a space equal to a diameter and a half, rather less than that interval from anterior centrals, which are rather further from one another than are the former pair, nearly twice their space from fore-laterals ; side- eyes seated obhquely on small tubercles at angle of caput, about radius of an anterior eye apart, latter exceeds posterior eye in size by about one-third. Legs rather slender, femora of 1-2 lake-coloured ; 3-4 suf- fused with brown, convex above, few spines ; genua and tibise double-groove above, latter joints, metatarsi and tarsi have a yellowish tinge, browaiish annulations ; armature sparse yellowish hairs, spine at apex of genual joint, double row of 6 beneath tibife, and of 5 beneath metatarsi. Superior tarsal claws — 1st pair, 10 comb-teeth, increasing in length and strength ; inferior claw, 2 close teeth. Palpi moderately slender, yellow-brown, yellowish hairs and slender spines ; palpal claw 10 comb-teeth, 2 basal small. Falces conical, vertical, convex, prominent at base in front, nearly as thick as base of femora of 1st pair of legs, brownish- lake, few yellowish hairs. Maxilla nearly as broad as long, obtusely pointed, inclined towards labium, which is triangular, about as long as broad ; organs chocolate-brown, pale apices. Sternum cordate, eminences opposite coxte ; black-brown. Abdomen oviform, projects over base of cephalothorax, de- pressed above, sensibly convex; lateral margins rather deep, convex ; fore-tubercles moderately prominent, apices rounded, directed outwards ; posterior tubercles prominent ; central tubercle of first row twice size of laterals, tubercle of second row exceeds first central in size, tubercle of third row nearly equals it. Sparsely clothed with short fine light hairs ; integu- ment yellowish-brown, spotted with brown ; dorsal mark brownish-buff, brown flecks, from apices of fore-tubercles it tapers off, margins incurvate, round base of abdomen, brown centre of narrow band bifurcates to base of fore-tubercles ; from latter, dorsal mark extends with slightly undulating margins to posterior tubercles, which have the same pale hue ; in centre of specific mark is a brown, somewhat lugeniform mark, with rather slight oblique streaks beneath ; almost entire length and breadth of lateral margins covered by creamy-white, lake-tinted, somewhat oval marks, with brown dentate margins on dorsal side, and series of nearly vertical streaks of similar hue. Ventral surface brown, dark-green, orange-yellow margined, shield- 76 Transactions. — Zoology. shaped mark in centre, large flecks of latter colour beneath branchial opercula, and close to spinners, which are short. Ejngyne represents a yellowish, transversely wrinkled, cucullate rnembranous projection, depressed above, sides abrupt, mar- gins beaded, centrally produced above into a semi-oval dark- margined lip, whose apex is prolonged into a segmented vermiform process, nearly equal to lip in length. Male.—Ce^h. th., long, 5 ; broad, 3-5. Abd., long, 4-5; broad, 3-2. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 17, 15, 13, 9 mm. Cephalothorax light mahogany colour ; hairs sparse, yellow- ish ; moderately depressed, constricted at caput, which projects over falces ; ocular eminence prominent, somewhat oblique ; angular depression in centre of caput; median indentation longitudinal, dark colour, normal grooves rather faint ; profile line formsa slight curve from thoracic junction to occiput. Posterior central eyes separated from anterior centrals by a space about equal to their diameter, rather closer to one another than are the latter pair ; lateral eyes placed within a slight concavity at angle of caput, fore-eye rather larger than posterior, separated by an interval equal to radius of anterior eye. Legs yellowish, reddish-brown annulations ; armature sparse light hairs, numerous strong spines, yellowish, base brown ; coxffi of 1st pair projects a short curved process ; 1-2 much the stoutest, femora clouded with chocolate-brown ; tibite of 2nd pair tumid, 7 stout dark spines at extremity ; superior tarsal claws— 1st pair, 10 comb-teeth ; inferior claw, 2 short close teeth. Palpi yellowish, humeral joint short, stout, strong tuft of long yellowish bristles project from near centre of inferior surface ; cubital joint about half length of humeral, some- what spathulate, broad, projects from apex a long, strong bristle ; radial joint short, produced on outer side into a large, yello\yish, huear-oval process ; digital joint large, oval, at apex of hairy convexities — which are directed towards each other — there are prominent, somewhat conical tubercles, base of con- vexities produced on outer side into a long, stout, black-brown apophysis, sharply bent inwards at extremity ; bulb has rich red and yellow - brown tints ; on crown of bulb is a black tumid crescent-shaped eminence, centrally constricted into acute points ; beneath the convex transversely striated upper fold are a series of dark lobes, mostly pointed, concave above, apices directed forwards ; near apex is a dark pointed apophysis, which projects forwards ; about centre of bulb, on lower side, is a short, stout apophysis, curved backwards. Falces vertical, conical, yellowish. MaxillcF somewhat spathulate, about as broad as long, Ubquhart. — On New Species of Araneidea. 77 bro^yllisla, pale apices, inclinecl towards lip, which is somewhat triangular, everted, dark-brown ; apex light. Sternum cordate, dark-brown. Ahdnmen oviform, tubercles moderately developed ; integu- ment light-brown, thickly mottled with creamy-coloured flecks, specific mark yellowish-brown ; margins between anterior and posterior tubercles acute-crenate ; series of brown marks on median line, impressed spots well marked. Pairs about November. Cocoon somewhat globose, com- posed of dark-green silk ; comprised within are 350 or more pinkish eggs. Auckland, ^.r.C7. Epeira ohlitera, sp. nov. Female. — Ceph. th., long, 6; broad, 5; facial index, 2-5. Abd., long, 8; broad, 6-5. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 21, 19, 17, 10'5 mm. Cephalotliorax yellowish, faintly suffused with brown, moderately clothed with coarse light hairs ; rather depressed, sides rounded, constricted forwards ; caput squarely truncated, sides low, convex, lateral index nearly equals interval between a hind-lateral eye and the hind-central next to it ; mammiform eminences well-developed ; caput and radial striae rather faint ; semicircular indentation on thoracic slope. Contour of profile rises at an angle of 40'', moderately arched across caput, synclinal dip behind occiput. Height of clypeus nearly equals depth of facial space. Fore and hind rows of eyes sensibly recurved ; ocular eminence prominent ; eyes small, anterior centrals separated by a space equal to twice their diameter, rather less than that interval from hind-pair, which are further from each other than they are from anterior centrals ; laterals seated obliquely on very low tubercles, encircled by black rings, nearly their breadth apart. Le(/s moderately strong, yellowish, sparsely furnished with light hairs ; femora convex above, few spines ; genua of 1-2 two-thirds length of tibife, two grooves on former and latter articles, spines yellowish. Superior tarsal claws — 1st pair, strong, 10 open comb-teeth ; inferior claw, 2 teeth. Falpi as long as cephalothorax, yellowish, light hairs, palpal claw straighter than tarsal, 10 similar teeth. Falces yellow-amber colour ; as long as genua, and as broad as femora of 1st pair of legs ; somewhat conical, vertical, project at base in front. MaxillcB broad, obtusely pointed, inclined towards labium, which is triangular ; organs chestnut-brown, yellowish margins. Sternum cordate, emmences opposite coxae ; chestnut-brown colour. 78 Transactions. — Zoology. Abdomen oviform, depressed above, sides abrupt, convex ; anterior tubercles very small, conical ; posterior rather small, central tubercle of first row shortest of three. Yellow stone- colour, faintly mottled with brown ; specific mark almost obliterated, leaf-like, mottled with creamy-coloured flecks, margins brown, faint, three somewhat angular brown marks on median line, impressed spots, well-defined, form a trapezoid. On ventral surface is a large dark-green shield-like mark, margins buff, double row of four foveola. Epigi/ne represents a cucullate, transversely wrinkled, membranous eminence, depressed above, sides abrupt, centrally produced into a broad, transversely wrinkled, yellowish lip, margins tumid, apex forms an obtuse angle, terminates in a clear yellowish, segmented, vermiform process, as long as lip. Whangarei Harbour, T. Broun. Epeira tri-tuberculata, sp. nov. Plate VII., fig. 2. Plate VIIL, fig. 1. Female. — Ceph. th., long, 3 ; broad, 2-5 ; facial index, 1. Abd., long, 5-5; broad, 5. Legs, 1, 2-4, 3 = 11, 10, 6-5 mm. Cephalothorax reddish-amber colour, few small blackish spots, hairs short, sparse, whitish ; rather depressed, sides rounded, laterally constricted forwards ; caput squarely truncated, lateral index equal to interval between a fore-lateral eye and the hind- central furthest from it ; sides nearly vertical, slight constriction behind posterior row of eyes ; median indentation longitudinal, radial and caput strife moderately marked ; contour of profile rises at an angle of 45°, slightly curved across caput, rising a little at occiput. Clypeus in height equals two-thirds diameter of a fore-central eye. Posterior row of eyes sensibly recurved, median pair rather more than their breadth apart, their space and an eye's diameter from hind-laterals ; anterior row recurved, centrals rather larger than hind-pair, separated by their diameter and a half, less than that interval from posterior pair ; lateral eyes separated by a space equal to then* radius, placed obliquely on tubercles ; anterior tubercles prominent. Legs moderately slender, yellow-amber colour, faint reddish- lake annuli, clouded with similar hue ; sparsely furnished with short light hairs ; femora convex above, numerous short spines ; genual joint of 1st pair more than half length of tibial, two grooves, continued on latter joint; besides upper spines, tibisB has double row of G, metatarsi two rows of 4. Superior tarsal claws — 1st pair long, fi-ee end rather sharply bent, 13 teeth, 5 basal, small, terminal strong, somewhat form of fi'ee end ; inferior claw sharply bent, 2 points. Uequhart. — On New Species of Araneidea. 79 Palpi resemble legs in colour and armature ; palpal claw, partially broken, apparently like tarsal claw. Falces vertical, conical, moderately strong, yellowish. Maaillm somewhat spathulate, inclined towards Up, which is pointed, nearly twice as broad as long ; organs reddish-brown, light margins. Sternum cordate, broad as long, emmences opposite coxae, yellowish, shaded with reddish-brown. Abdomen somewhat obtusely pointed, from anterior tubercles, which are mammiform with yellow nipple-like ajpices, abdomen tapers moderately off to small posterior tubercle ; depressed above, sides convex ; fr-om apex of fore-tubercle profile line forms a rather sharp angle ; hairs light, short, sparse ; dorsal mark leaf-like, coarsely acute-crenate, mottled with creamy- brown, spotted with lake-coloured, white-margined flecks, with blue-black vein-like streaks between ; dark impressed spot in each acute projection; creamy -white transverse band, with lake-coloured margins, connects anterior tubercles, dii-ected obliquely backwards from centre of band are two short bars of similar hue ; petiole of leaf-like mark curves round base, is creamy-white, lake margins ; lateral margins mottled, flecked and veined with normal tints. On ventral surface is a shield- like mark with white flecks. Epiyyne represents a broad, yellowish, transversely segmented, napiform lobe ; above apex of lobe, which is directed forwards, is a brown membrane pro- duced into central and lateral acute projections ; margins of lobe on posterior side incurvate, divided by a short, petiole-like projection from lobe. Colorations of some examples have rich lake, chocolate, and orange tints. Taken amongst low, moist vegetation. TeKaraka, A.T.U. Epeira orientalis, sp. nov. Plate VII., fig. 3. Female. — Ceph. th., long, 5 ; broad, 4 ; facial index, 2. Abd., long, 10 ; broad, 9. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 19, 18, 16, 12 mm. Min. — Abd., long, 9; broad, 8. Max. — Abd., long, 12; broad, 9. Leg of first pair, 24-5 mm. Cephalothorax lake-black, lake-coloured about dorsal surface, hairs sparse, light, short, adpressed ; length of cephalothorax equal to tibiae of a leg of first pair, sides rounded, moderately compressed forwards ; lateral index of caput nearly equal to facial ; luniform transverse depression in centre of caput ; thoracic indentation transverse, radial and caput strife fairly marked ; contour of profile rises fr'om thoracic junction at angle of 40°, slopes forwards with a slightly undulating line, rising at ocular eminence, which is moderately developed, slopes abruptly 80 Transactions. — Zoology. forwards, widest in front. Clypeus in height equal to about half facial space. Posterior row of eyes nearly straight, median pair their diameter apart, twice their space from hind-laterals ; anterior row recurved, central pair largest of eight, separated from one another by their diameter and a-half, rather less than that interval from hind-centrals ; lateral eyes seated obliquely on moderate tubercles, their radius apart. Leys moderately stout, femora brownish-lake, clouded with brown, few short yellow spines ; double groove on genua and tibiae, latter articles, metatarsi, and tarsi yellowish-brown, blackish annuli ; armature black and white hairs, yellowish spines, tibial spines less than diameter of article in length. Superior tarsal claws — 1st pair, 9 teeth, increasing in length and strength ; inferior claw, 2 teeth. PrtZju^■ brown-black, few white hairs, spines numerous ; palpal claw 9 teeth, directed forwards. Falses rather slender, conical, vertical, brown-black. Maxilla, broad as long, obtusely pointed, inclined towards labium, which is rather pointed ; organs chocolate-brown, pale apices. Sternum cordate, eminences opposite cox®, brown-black. Abdomen somewhat diamond-shape, or broad oval, projects over base of cephalothorax, depressed above, sides convex; integument has a soft black velvety appearance, petiole of leaf-like serrated dorsal mark, dark, with orange-red and yellow sinuated margins, numerous flecks of similar hue on base of abdomen on either side of petiole ; tubercles pronainent, directed out- wards ; dorsal mark extends to apices of tubercles, is sharply constricted at central pair of impressed spots, tapers towards spinners, throwing off a few transverse bars, has orange-red tints, with dull-yellowish shading, few black marks in centre ; lateral margins longitudinally wrinkled, large irregular-shaped mark of normal tints ; sparsely clothed with very line short hairs, few black erect hairs. Ventral surface dull-black, bright orange-red and yellow marks above spinners, which are short, brown -black. Epiyyne represents a somewhat oval, greenish-black, eminence, anterior portion transversely wrinkled, projects moderately forwards, centrally produced into a pendulous, oval, fleshy process, directed backwards ; lateral margins form a series of three curved folds. ^t:)'- Male. — Ceph. th., long, 4-5 ; broad, 4. Abd., long, 6 ; broad, 5. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 == 20, 18, 15, 9 mm. Cephalothorax light-brown, fore-lateral margins and median indentation dark-olive ; fairly clotbed with glossy pale stone- coloured hairs ; depressed, sides rounded, compressed forwards; median indentation longitudinal, deep, strias faint ; caput Urquhart. — On Neic Species of Araneidea. 81 narrow, depressed, ocular eminence prominent ; fore and bind row of eyes much recurved, posterior centrals less than their diameter apart. Leg-'i same tint as cephalothorax, light-brown annuli on tibias and metatarsi, whitish hairs ; spines short, yellow- brown, base dark, numerous, especially on tibial joints ; femoral joints of 1-2 rather stout ; superior tarsal claws — 1st pair, 8 teeth, inferior claw, 2 short teeth. Palpi, humeral and cubital joints yellowish, latter ap- planate, broad, base constricted, projects from apex two long strong bristles, railial joint short, pitchy-red, produced above into a stout upright process, from curved apex there projects forwards a somewhat semi-oval, truncated membrane, finely toothed along truncated end ; in centre of article, on outer side, is a rather large mammiform eminence, beneath which is a black curved apophysis, convave above, directed forwards ; digital joint large, broad-oval, convex and hairy externally, convexities directed towards each other ; palpal organs complex, most remarkable are, at base of bulb, a large black apophysis, concave above, directed forwards; pro- jecting upright from its base is a long, stout, black process, curved forwards at apex ; between former projection and apex of bulb is a dark, somewhat membranous, pointed apophysis, projecting from a ring-like base ; bulb terminates with several membranous projections, concave beneath, acu- minate. Abdomen, base somewhat rounded, tapers posteriorly from lateral angles ; tubercles conical, well-developed ; specific pattern on fore-part bears some resemblance to female's, but has duller tints — which also obtain in some female examples ; from the broad transverse band which connects tubercles, a tapering mark, with few acute projections, extends to spinners. This handsome Epeira is rather uncommon, but mature examples may be met with throughout the winter months — frequents branchlets of manuka [Leptospermum scoparium) ; the snare, apparently, only consists of a few irregular lines ; the cocoon, which she fabricates amongst the slender branches, is sub-globose, composed of coarse dark-gieen silk of loose texture, about two meti'es in diameter ; comprised within are about 70 or more oval eggs of a pale-brown colour, agglutinated together in a lenticular form. Male rare. Te Karaka, Auckland, A.T.V. Epeira hi-albimacula, sp. nov. Female. — Ceph. th., long, 8 ; broad, 2-3. Abd., long, 4 ; broad, 2-5. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 11, 10, 9-5, 6 mm. Cephalothorax pellucid stoue-brown, caput clouded with 6 82 Transactions. — Zoology. olive-brown ; moderately clothed with light hairs ; broad-oval, compressed forwards ; median fovea somewhat circular, normal grooves moderately marked; caput convex, projects forwards, lateral index equals space between a fore-lateral eye and the hind-central furthest from it ; contour of profile rises from thoracic junction at an angle of 30°, forms a very low arch across caput. Clypeus in height equals diameter of a fore-central eye. Four central eyes large, seated on a prominent eminence, form a trapezoid, w^hose anterior side is widest ; hind-centrals, which are separated by nearly their diameter, and rather more than that space fi-om fore-centrals, exceed latter a little in size ; lateral eyes nearly contiguous, placed obliquely on moderate tubercles, are further from anterior median eyes than those eyes are from each other. Legs and cephalothorax concolorous, black-brown, olive- tinged annulations, armature pale hairs, numerous black spines ; 1-2 equal in strength ; superior tarsal claws — 1st pair, strong, slightly sinuated, free end curved, 9 open comb- teeth, increasing in length and strength ; inferior claw long, sharply bent, 2 teeth. Paljii long, colour of legs, olive-green annuli ; palpal claw long, 12 open teeth. Fakes vertical, somewhat conical, divergent, clear stone- brown, clouded with olive-green. Maxilla' quadrate, strong, greenish-stone, dark centre. Labium oval, pointed, rather broader than long, resembles maxillae in colour. Sternum cordate, glossy black-brown, yellow median line. Abdomen broad-oviform, slightly convex, projects over base of cephalothorax, clothed with light hairs, and bristle-like black hairs ; ground colour brown, mottled with a pale hue ; between the rounded tubercular eminences are two remarkable large creamy-yellow spots ; tapering posteriorly as far as spinners is a wide acute-crenate red-chestnut and brown mark. Ventral surface light dull-yellow, broad T-shaped black-brown mark. Epigyne large, conical, pendulous, segmented, clear dark-green process, apex directed backwards, tinged with yellow, on either side of process are glossy-black planiform spiral lobes. TeKaraka, A.T.U. Epeira saxitalis, sp. uov. Female, immature. — Ceph. th., long, 2-5 ; broad, 2*5 ; facial index, 1. Abd., long, 6-3; broad, 5. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 11-5, 10, 9, 7 mm. Cephalothorax yellowish, sparsely clothed with light hau's ; broad oval, laterally constricted forwards ; caput moderately convex, roundly truncated ; median indentation somewhat Urquhakt. — On New Species of Araneidea. 83 diamond-shaped ; caput and radial striae moderately marked ; contour rises from thoracic junction at an angle of 45°, slightly arched across caput. Clijpem sensibly directed inwards, in height equal to half facial space. Eyes on black rings, posterior row sensibly recurved, hind- centrals rather further from anterior pair than they are from each other, an interval slightly exceeding their diameter, their space and a half from hind-laterals ; anterior centrals dark, on low eminences, interval between them rather exceeds the space between posterior pair ; lateral eyes smallest of eight, seated obliquely on low tubercles, less than their radius apart. Legs straw-colour, almost devoid of hairs, numerous irre- gular, erect, light-yellowish spines, dark base, rather less than diameter of tibife in length ; superior tarsal claws — 1st pair fine, moderately curved, free end long, tip bent, 10 close teeth directed forwards, two terminal teeth exceed third by one-half; inferior claw long, fine, 2 small points. PaJpi resemble legs in colour, light hairs, erect bristles, palpal claw form of tarsal, 8 teeth. Falces glossy, yellowish, conical, project sensibly forwards. MaxillcB nearly as broad as long, obliquely truncated, yellowish. Labium rather broader than long, somewhat pointed, nearly half length of maxillte, greenish tinge. Sternum cordate, yellow-brown. Abdomen somewhat diamond-shaped, depressed, projects over base of cephalothorax, short obtuse tubercles at lateral angles ; greyish stone-colour, thickly flecked with brown, fine brown streak along median line — in some examples almost obliterated — throwing off series of oblique bars. This species is common about the cliffs at Waiwera, its stone-colour assimilating with its environment ; several imma- ture males, 4 mm. in length, were taken. Resembles female in form and coloration. Epeira sub-compta, sp. nov. Plate VII., fig. 4. Female. — Ceph. th. long, 3-2 ; broad, 3 ; facial index, 1. Abd. long, 5; broad, 4-7. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 14-5, 13-3, 12, 9 mm. Cephalothorax yeUowish-amber colour, clothed with few light hairs, spine-like bristles on caput, strias of latter and median indentation chocolate - brown ; thorax moderately depressed, broad, sides rounded, curvature directed somewhat backwards ; normal grooves well-marked ; caput applanate (viewed from above), somewhat conical, sides compressed, lateral index about equal to space between a hind-lateral eye and the hind-central next to it ; profile line rises at an angle o 30'^, runs with a faint 84 Transactions. — Zoology. slope to posterior central eyes, dips abruptly across facial space. Height of chjpeus equals space between fore-median eyes. Posterior row of eyes recurved, interval between median pair equals their diameter ; anterior row recurved, centrals slightly largest of eight, rather more than their breadth from each other, separated by latter space from hind-pair ; lateral eyes placed obliquely on separate tubercles, their diameter apart, fore- tubercle prominent. Leiis moderately strong, concolorous to cephalothorax, broad chocolate- brown annulatious ; light and dark stiff hairs ; femora convex above, few short spines ; genual joint half-length of tibial, both articles have two well-marked longitudinal grooves ; tibiffi and metatarsi have few irregular yellowish spines above, former double-row of 4 beneath, latter two rows of 6. Superior tarsal claws — 1st pair moderately curved, 9 open comb-teeth, points ciu'ving slightly backwards ; inferior claw, 2 points. Palpi moderately stout, rather longer than cephalothorax, resemble legs in colour and armature ; palpal claw long, moderately curved, 10 comb-teeth, increasing in length and strength, directed forwards. Falces strong, vertical, somewhat conical, project at base in front, divergent, yellowish, suffused with chocolate-brown. Ma.vUla: nearly as broad as long, obtusely pointed, inclined towards labium, which is broader than long, pointed ; organs yellowish, base dark. Steinnm cordate, eminences opposite coxae, yellowish-brown, suffused with darker hue. Abdomen somewhat oviform, posterior end transversely wrinkled, base broad, projects over thorax, slightly convex above, sides rounded, longitudinally wrinkled ; sparsely clothed with short light hairs, few bristles ; a broad, coarsely runci- nate, median band tapers to spinners, mottled brown, inner marginal streak black-brown, outer creamy-yellow, in centre of dorsal band is a — not clearly defined — acute-crenate chocolate mark, few creamy-yellow marginal lines ; lateral margin yellow stone - colour, series of somewhat sinuated, brown-black, oblique liues converge towards spinners. On ventral surface there is a large, somewhat quadrate, shield- shaped dark olivaceous mark, with two large creamy-yellow spots near spinners. Kjiiyyne transverse oval, encircled by two broad projecting membranes, outer yellowish, inner shades off to chocolate-brown on posterior side, is confluent with outer anterior side, from whence they are produced into a broad tapering central keel, connected at its truncated apex with outer membrane ; dark inner membrane incurvate with- in concavities, on either side of keel ; projecting over labia is a broad, pendulous, segmented, contorted, yellowish process, applanate and incurved at apex. Urquhabt. — On New Species of Araueidea. 85 a. Annulations on tibiae and metatarsi faint. Superior surface of abdomen creamy-yellow ; specific pattern resembles type form, more defined ; apices of runcinate band black- brown, between teeth are a series of three acute black- brown marks. Two specimens, Whangarei Harbour, T. Broun. Epeira viriditas, sp. nov. Female. — Ceph. th., long, 4 ; broad, 3-5; facial index, 1-4. Abd., long, 5; broad, 4. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 15, 14, 13, 8 mm. Cephalothorax greenish straw-colour, suffused with bright pea-green ; hairs very sparse and fine ; sides rounded, laterally constricted at caput, which is depressed, lateral index equals space between a fore-lateral eye and the hind-central furthest from it ; ocular eminence moderately prominent ; median in- dentation transverse, radial and caput striae fairly marked ; contour of profile rises at an angle of 30°, slopes, with slight curve, to ocular area. Height of clypeus equals radius of a fore-central eye. Eyes on lake-coloured rings ; posterior row straight, interval between median pair slightly exceeds their diameter, nearly twice their space from hind-laterals ; anterior row recurved ; median pair, which are slightly larger than hind pair, about their breadth and a half apart, rather less than interval from posterior centrals, their space from fore-laterals; side eyes placed on low separate tubercles, about their radius from one another. Legs concolorous to cephalothorax ; rather stout, armature sparse, short, whitish hairs, lake-tinged spines numerous on tibi^ and metatarsi, 10-12 on inferior surface, latter article and tarsi tinged with lake-colour; superior tarsal claws — Ist pair 9 teeth, 5 basal close, terminal strong ; inferior claw sharply bent, 2 teeth. Palj/i resemble legs in colour and armature; palpal claw 8 teeth. Falces moderately stout, conical, directed somewhat inwards, pea-green ; fangs, dark lake-colour. MaxilhB nearly as broad as long, obtusely truncated, inclined towards labiuin, which is rather broader than long, roundly pointed, everted ; organs pea-green, yellowish margins. Sternum cordate, eminences opposite coxaB, yellowish, clouded with pea-green. Abdomen oviform, base somewhat pointed; very sparsely clothed with short light hairs ; dorsal surface covered by a bright, deep pea-green, yellow margined, oviform mark ; lateral margins greenish-black. On ventral surface is a green, yellow- 86 Transactioyis. — Zoology. margined, shield-shaped mark. Epigyne represents a yellowish, transversely wrinkled, cucullate eminence ; projecting outwards from beneath hood-like membrane, is a broad, long, clear greenish - yellow, hnear process; about 12 well-defined seg- ments, concave above, apex cupuliform ; integument at base of process produced, at right angles to it, into large, somewhat conchiform projections, with brown margins, curving inwards beneath process. Frequents Leptospermum ; Te Karaka, A.T.U. Epdra discolora, sp. nov. Female. — Ceph. th. long, 3 ; broad, 2-2 ; facial index, 1. Abd., long, 5 ; broad, 4. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 12, 11, 9*2, 5 mm, Cephalothorax yellow amber-colour, suffused with reddish- amber, hairs sparse, whitish ; oval, rather depressed, moderately constricted forwards ; caput roundly truncated, ocular eminence moderately prominent, lateral index equals space between fore- lateral eyes ; median fovea somewhat circular, deep, radial and caput strife fairly marked ; contour of profile rises from thoracic junction at an angle of 60°, dips slightly across caput. Clypeus vertical, in height equal to diameter of a fore-central eye. Posterior row of eyes sensibly recurved ; centrals separated by an interval that slightly exceeds their diameter, little more than their space from hind-laterals ; anterior row recurved, median pair rather smaller, and further apart than are posterior pair ; interval between fore and hind-centrals rather exceeds space between latter pair ; lateral eyes seated obliquely on black tubercles, less than their radius from each other. Legs rather slender, yellow- amber colour, reddish annuli, femora of first pair clouded with olive-green; sparsely furnished with short hairs, erect black spines ; tibial and metatarsal spines exceed diameter of those articles in length. Superior tarsal claws — 1st pair, 11 comb-teeth, increasing in length and strength ; inferior claw, 2 teeth. Palpi moderately slender, about length of cephalothorax, yellowish, spines numerous ; palpal claw like tarsal, 8 teeth. Falces strong, conical, vertical, red-amber colour. Majillcp, broad, rounded, inclined towards labium, which is nearly twice as broad as long, everted ; organs yellowish, base chocolate-brown . Ster7mm cordate, eminences opposite coxte, brown, yellowish streaks in centre. Ahduiitcn oviform, convex above, projects over base of cephalothorax ; dorsal surface covered by an oviform pea-green mark, margins brown, sinuated ; on its fore-part there is a creamy-white angular line, vertex directed forward, base ex- tends back to central pair of impressed spots, between latter Urquhakt. — On Neiv Species of Araueidea. 87 and spinners are two or more whifisli spots ; upper portion of lateral margins rich maroon, lower greenish-brown oval patch, with creamy margins. Ventral surface brown, two longitudinal whitish streaks and spots. Epigyne yellowish, moderately con- vex, somewhat triangular, transversely wrinkled, cucullate membrane, centrally produced into a short involute lip ; dark margins of hood-like membrane project a little forwards, from base of hp curve backwards, forming large lateral loops, con- fluent beneath hp. Male. — Ceph. th., long, 3 ; broad, 2*4. Abd., long, 3-2 ; broad, 2. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 14, 12, 10, 7 mm. Cephalothorax yellowish-amber, slightly suffused with darker hue ; broad oval, fore-part of caput more depressed than female's, contour of profile low arch ; median indentation and stri« well marked. Legs concolorous to female's ; femoral spines exceed dia- meter of article in length, numerous on 1-2 ; margin of cox®, 1st pair, produced on inner side into a short curved apophysis. Palpi yellowish, few pale hairs, humeral joint short, small curved spine on fore-end ; cubital short, complanate, fore-angles produced into cylindrical tubercles, from which project remark- ably long, strong bristles, outer angle produced into a stout conical apophysis ; radial joint cyathiform, length about equal to diameter of cubital, attached to inferior surface of latter joint ; digital joint large, somewhat globose, reddish tints, con- vexities hairy, directed towards each other; palpal organs complex, superior surface, large, brownish, convex disc, dark margins of which are produced into a curved, tapering apophy- sis, directed backwards ; most remarkable, projecting from inferior surface of bulb are two broad curved apophyses near articulation of joints, terminating in several black points ; between these and the terminal, long, tapering, black process, which is directed downwards and somewhat backwards, are two large, broad-conical eminences directed downwards. Abdomen small, oviform, pea-green, varies somewhat in coloration. This species varies in colour, lateral margins in some examples being brown or green, in others the abdomen has a yellowish tinge. Not uncommon ; usually frequents manuka [Leptospermum); forms a moderate-sized web ; pairs in November. TeKaraka, ^.r.C7. Epeira verutum, sp, nov. Female. — Ceph. th., long, 3"5 ; broad, 2-5. Abd., long, 6; broad, 4-7. Legs 1, 2, 4, 3 = 11, 9, 8, 6-5 mm. 88i Tratisactions. — Zoology. Cephalothorax yellow-brown, suffused with red-chestnut ; hairs greyish, sparse ; broad-oval, constricted laterally for- wards, depressed ; caput roundly truncated, lateral index nearly equals space between foi'e-lateral eyes ; ocular eminence low ; median indentation transverse, normal grooves well-marked. Clypeus vertical, height exceeds diameter of a fore-central eye. Posterior row of eyes moderately recurved, median pan* about their diameter apart, rather more than their breadth from anterior centrals, which are separated by about theu' diameter and a half, and rather more than that interval from the side-eyes next to them ; laterals seated obliquely on dark tubercles, about their radius from each other. Legs moderately strong, concolorous to cephalothorax, more or less defined greenish annulations ; armature darkish hairs and spines ; length of tibial spines about equal to diameter of article; superior tarsal claws — 1st pair evenly curved, 11 teeth, 4 outer open, curved backwards ; inferior claw long, sharply bent, teeth small. Palpi moderately slender, armature and colour of legs ; palpal claw moderately curved, 6 teeth, increasing much in length and strength. Falces vertical, conical, tumid at base in front, strong teeth ; similar to legs m colour. Maxilla; broad, inclined towards labium, which is nearly as long as broad, somewhat pointed, everted ; yellowish- green, base dark. Sternum, cordate, eminences opposite coxae, chocolate-brown colour. Abdomen ovoid, projects over base of cephalothorax, on dorsal surface is a broad, pale pea-green, yellow-margined lance-like mark, basal angles obtuse, shaft tapers posteriorly ; the four central, well-marked, impressed spots on lance-head form a trapezoid ; lateral margins dark velvety - brown. Epigyne represents a yellowish-green, transversely wrinkled, moderately jirominent, semicircular eminence, centrally pro- duced into a broad, transversely wrinkled process, directed backwards, ccmcave above, apex somewhat calceolate; projecting laterally from base of lip are large processes, termniatmg with somewhat planiform spiral lobes. Female. — Var. veruina, var. nov. Cephalothorax, legs, and palpi do not differ essentially in coloration from type form. Abdomen light brown, shading off on lateral margins to a soft dark brown, specific mark pale chalky-green edged with buff, shaiply constricted at posterior pair of central impressed spots, giving it the form of an arrow, with a well-elefiued shaft : on posterior half of abdt'men is a brownish banil, with sinuated margins. Uequhart. — On New Species of Araneidea. 89 Var. hastatum, var. nov. Plate VIII., fig. 2. Female. — Cephalothorax and legs resemble type form. Abdo- 7nen light-browu above, graduating to a darker sbade on lateral margins ; dorsal surface covered by a more or less defined somewhat oviform brown mark, with sinuated margins ; specific mark differs in form from that of var. veruina, constriction defining arrow-head being in line with anterior pair of central impressed spots ; in line with posterior pair is an obtuse - angled transverse bar, shaft tapers off to spmners. Male. — Ceph. th., long, 3; broad, 2. Abd. long, 3-6; broad, 2-7. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 11, 9, 8, 6 mm. Cephalothorax yellowish-brown, greenish-tinge ; caput slightly more compressed than female's. Legs yellow-brown, olivaceous annulations ; coxae of first pair j)roduced, on outer side, into a short curved apophysis ; femoral spines of latter pair strong, tibial exceed diameter of article in length. Prt/j9J yellowish, humeral joint slender, short; cubital, broad, somewhat oval, complanate, truncated at apex, projecting from short cylindroid tubercles, at each angle are long bristles ; radial joint articulated to inferior surface of cubital, nearly twice diameter of latter joint, umbraculiform ; digital joint large, some- what oval, convexities moderately hairy, directed towards each other, base of convexity produced on outer side into a reddish- brown curved apophysis, concave on superior surface ; beneath it is a large, conical, yellowish process, directed downwards and outwards ; superior surface of bulb semi-globose, transversely striated, crumpled on inner side into a hippocrepiform eminence, lobe beneath terminates in a short beak-like process, concave within, directed downwards ; remaining most remarkable pro- jections are, a short, broad, pale, rugose membrane, curving upwards towards point of beak, and a large yellowish and black claw-like apophysis projectiug fi'om apex of joint, curved back- wards. Abdomen oviform, coloration and markings resemble female. Var. lineola, var. nov. Abdomen brown, oviform mark nearly obliterated, specific pattern reduced to a narrow lougitudiual line, with similar tints ; in some examples faint trace of arrow-like mark. Examples of this iuterestiug species, and the more or less clearly defined varieties, were numerous on low shrubs, about the summit of Arthur's Pass ; I also captured them at Lake Alexandia, Mackenzie Plains, Canterbury. Examples of var. hastatum have been sent to me by F. Goyen, Esq., Dunedin. 90 Transactions. — Zoology, Epeira linea-acuta, sp. nov. Female.— Gei±. th., long, 8; broad, 2-8; facial index, 1. Abd., long, 5; broad, 4. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3=10-5, 9-5, 9-5, 6-5 mm. CepJudothorax greenish, hairs sparse, grey ; depressed, sides rounded, laterally constricted forwards ; caput roundly trun- cated, ocular eminence low, lateral index equal to space between a fore-lateral eye and the hind-central nearest to it; median foveadeep, striae fairly marked; profile line rises fi-om thoracic junction at an angle of 30°, forms sHght arch across caput. Height of cUjpeiis about equal to diameter of an anterior central eye. ^ Eyes on dark rings ; posterior row sensibly recurved ; median pair rather more than their diameter apart, their space and a quarter from hind-laterals ; anterior row recurved, centrals nearly twice their breadth from each other, rather less than that interval from hind-centrals, nearly their space from side-eyes next to them; laterals seated obliquely on low tubercles, separated by about their diameter. _ Legs moderately stout ; clear yellowish-green, brownish annu- lations ; short grey hairs, spines rather numerous, yellowish, double row of five beneath tibiae and metatarsi ; superior tarsal claws — 1st pair, 9 teeth ; inferior claw, 2 strong teeth. Paljyi rather shght, yellowish-green ; palpal claw straighter than tarsal, 9 teeth. Falces conical, directed somewhat inwards, greenish-yellow. MaxilloB nearly as broad as long, obtusely pointed, inclined towards labium, which is triangular, almost twice as broad as long; organs yellowish, base greenish. Sternum cordate, eminences opposite coxae, yellowish, olive tinge. Ahdnmcn somewhat oviform, broad, sensibly convex above, sides rounded, projects moderately over base of cephalothorax ; sparsely clothed with short fine hairs ; dorsal surface covered by a large, mottled, greenish-yellow oviform mark, margined by two streaks, inner white, outer brown, graduating oti* to green ; four central impressed spots form a trapezoid, 1st pair placed close to apex at base ; on either side, and directed towards 2nd pair, are two fine brown Imes forming an acute angle ; extending outwards from spumers to 3rd pair arc a series of four brown lines — outer streaks in most examples form a curve connected with narrow dorsal line. On ventral surface there is a wide green band, white and brown margins. Ejngyne repre- sents a broad, transversely wrinkled, yellowish eminence, centrally produced into a short, pendulous, cupuliform, wrinkled process, directed backwards ; projecting at right angles from base of process are two smaller, somewhat vermiform, short Urquhart. — On New Species of Araneidea. 91 thick processes, base of which consists of two well-defined segments ; apices conical, smooth. Male. — Ceph. th., long, 3 ; broad, 3-4. Abd., long, 3-5 ; broad, 3. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 12, 11, 10, 6 mm. Cephalothorax deeper green, caput more compressed laterally, ocular eminence projects more over clypeus, and tubercles of anterior lateral eyes more prominent than female's. Legs strong, yellowish-green ; annuli well marked. Paljn short, greenish ; cubital joint about half length of humeral, applanate, projecting from truncated apex are two long bristles ; radial joint articulated to inferior surface of cubital ; projecting outwards and downwards is a large, yellowish, conoid process ; above is a broad, spiral apophysis ; apex dark- lake, directed outwards, curving inwards ; digital joint large, somewhat oval, convexities hairy, directed towards each other ; palpal organs complex, superior surface of bulb striated, apex partially cleft through, exposing inner dark lobe : lower, smooth portion of bulb terminates in a remarkable claw-like process ; projecting downwards are two wide, darkish, semi-pellucid, membranous processes. Abdomen resembles female's in coloration and pattern. Numerous examples. Lake Tekapo, Canterbury, A.T.U. Epeira purpura, sp. nov. Female. — Ceph. th., long, 3-2 ; broad, 2'8 ; facial index, 1-2. Abd., long, 7; broad, 6. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 12-5, 11-5, 10, 6 min. Cephalothorax yellowish - amber, suffused with red - lake ; hairs sparse, light ; rather depressed, sides rounded, con- stricted at caput, which is roundly truncated, ocular eminence low, lateral . index less than interval between a fore-lateral and the hind-median eye farthest from it ; normal grooves not well-marked ; contour of profile rises at an angle of 45°, slopes forwards with a slight curve to occiput ; elypeus in height equals diameter of a fore-central eye. Posterior row of eyes slightly recurved, median pair rather more than their breadth apart, their space and a quarter from hind-laterals ; anterior row moderately recurved, centrals separated by an interval equal to nearly twice their diameter, rather more than their breadth from hind-pair, nearly their space from fore-laterals ; side - eyes seated obliquely on separated tubercles, nearly contiguous. Legs rather slight, yellowish-amber colour, suffused with red-lake ; armature few light hairs, spines numerous, double row of 5 on inferior surface of tibise, about equal number under metatarsi ; superior tarsal claws — Ist pair, 9 comb- teeth ; inferior claw strong, 2 teeth. 92 Transactions. — Zoology. Palpi resemble legs in colour and armature ; palpal claw somewhat like tarsal, 8 teeth. Falces vertical, conical, moderately stout, yellowish. Maxilla longer than broad, somewhat spathulate, inchned towards labium, which is pointed, rather broader than long ; organs broivuish, pale apices. Sternum cordate, nearly as broad as long, eminences opposite coxae ; chocolate-brown. Abdomen large, base obtusely pointed, lateral angles prominent, pointed posteriorly; sensibly convex above, sides slope inwards ; creamy-white transverse band connects angles, thickly marked with large irregularly-shaped creamy-white flecks, which are intersected by lake-purple vein-like lines ; very sparsely clothed with short, fine hairs. Dark-green yellow-margined shield-shaped mark on ventral surface ; epigi/ne yellowish, broad, somewhat vermiform process, segments well- developed, apex calceolate : three-fourths of pendulous process is attached to a wide membrane, beaded margins of which are involute on posterior side. Smgle specimen. Te Karaka, ^.T.?7. Genus Nephila, Leech. Nephila argentatum, sp. nov. Plate VIII., fig. 3. Female.— Ceiph. th., long, 2-8 ; broad, 2. Abd., long, 7 ; broad, 4. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 20, 18, 15, 8 mm. Cephalothorax dark straw-colour, translacid, marginal zone and V-shaped mark on caput ohve-green ; broad oval, depressed, moderately constricted forwards ; caput convex, roundly trun- cated ; median fovea deep, ohvaceous tint, somewhat diamond- shaped, placed rather forwards ; caput and radial strire well- marked ; contour of profile represents a double-arch, thoracic curve indented ; cli/peus vertical, in height rather exceeds space between anterior central eyes. Eyes on dark spots, four centrals nearly form a quadrilateral figure, longer than broad; posterior row sensibly procurved, median pair separated by rather more than their diameter, nearly twice that space from hind-lateral eyes ; anterior row recurved, centrals dark, placed on blackish-green moderate eminences, nearly their diameter apart, and about twice that interval from hind-centrals ; lateral eyes seated on black tuber- cles, rather less than their radius from each other. Legs long, slender, femora clear green, remaining joints yellowish, browuit^h annulatioiis ; armature long, fine hairs, long slender spines on femoral, tibial, and metatarsal joints; latter article about equal m length to genua and tibias ; superior tarsal claws — let pair long, moderately curved, 13 short somewhat Urquhakt. — On New Sj)ecies of Araneidea. 93 even comb-teeth ; inferior claw sharply curved, apex directed outwards, 2 small teeth. Palpi slender, resemble legs in colour and armature ; palpal claw long, rather sti'aight, 6 teeth. Falces vertical, somewhat conical, project at base in front, as stout as femora of first pair of legs, divergent at apex, double row of about 5 strong teeth ; yellowish, olive-green, yellow- mottled oval streak on fore-part. Maxilla, rather longer than broad, spathulate, divergent, yellow-brown. Labium oval, about as broad as long, less than half length of maxilla ; dark-brown, apex yellowish. Sternum mahogany- brown, longer than broad, roundly truncated in front, pointed posteriorly, eminences opposite C0X8B. Abdomen large, oblong-oval, dorsal surface and sides some- what deplanate, base projects forwards, slope abrupt, projects rather beyond spinners ; dorsal surface dull silver, specific pattern varies in accuracy of outline in different examples ; brown-black cruciate figure on fore-part intersects four rounded mammiform eminences, two black dots in front, four behind transverse bar, four anterior dots on eminences, base of cross extends nearly to spinners, throwing off two oblique Hues, which are directed backwards ; from dark bands along lateral margins two blackish streaks converge towards spinners ; two subulate marks extend from near spinners to posterior pair of dots, apices directed forwards. Ventral surface, brown and blackish streaks, two longitudinal golden lines or spots extend from branchial opercula to spinners. Epigyne simple, semi- circular, brownish-black eminence, slightly concave within. iVIrtZe.— Ceph. th., long, 2-8; broad, 2. Abd., long, 3-8; broad, 2. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 26, 19, 15, 9-5 mm. Male does not differ essentially from female in coloration or form, except that the legs are longer, abdomen shorter and slimmer. Palpi, humeral joint slender, clear straw-colour, few black hairs, and slender bristles ; nearly twice as long as cubital and radial jomts together ; former article short, radial rather the longest, base slender, projects a long bristle on fore-part ; two latter joints clouded with olive-green ; digital joint nearly equal in length to three former articles ; yellowish-brown ; oval, con- vexities hairy, directed towards each other ; palpal organs simple, bulb large, glossy light orange-brown, on outer face are two brownish curved lines, integument of bulb hexagonally veined, projecting from apex are two somewhat beak-like membranous a,pophyses ; curving over bulb, at basal end, is a short, siout, dark process. 94 Transactions. — Zoology. Species common, pairs in November ; web oblique or hori- zontal, constructed amidst green vegetation, s]iider rests in centre, beneath the web, exposing the dull-coloured ventral surface. Mature examples are apparently not to be met with during the winter months, but the young may bo found on fine webs about grass, etc. Tau-oa, T. Broun. Te Karaka, Waiwera, A.T.U. Fam. THLAOSOMID^. Genus Thlaosoma, Cambr. Thlaosoma jjenniim, sp. nov. Plate VIII., fig. 4. Ceph. th., long, 2-5 ; broad, 2-3. Abd., long, 3 ; broad, 6-5. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 8, 7-8, 6-5, 5-5 mm. Cephalothorax creamy-white, few brownish streaks and spots ; sparsely clothed with whitish hairs, chiefly in lines ; sides rounded sharply, laterally constricted at caput, which has the characteristic upturned form of the genus ; bifurcation at con- junction of caput striae and median indentation not so prominent as in T. oUracea ; contour of profile rises somewhat abruptly from thoracic junction, forms a prominent rounded hump sloping off with slight arch to upturned apex. Height of clypeus slightly exceeds facial space. Falces placed in usual position, four central divided by a yellowish cross-like figure. Lega concolorous to cephalothorax, faintly clouded and annulated with brown ; sparsely furnished with light hairs and bristles ; 1-2 hardly differ in length or strength ; femoral joints strong ; two rows of minute spinous tubercles with numerous small irregular spines between on outer side ; similar but smaller spines extend along genual and tibial joints, two or three at base of metatarsi ; 4th pair slightly exceeds 3rd in length and strength ; femora of latter pair armed with short irregular row of spines, nearly absent and weak on 4th pair. Superior tarsal claws — 1st pair, outer strong, long, sharply bent, 2 short curved teeth at base ; inner claw less than one-third size of outer, 5 comb-teeth, increasing in length and strength ; inferior claw nearly equals inner in strength ; auxiliary claws. Palpi creamy-white, brown annuli, whitish hairs ; palpal claws strong, sharply bent, no teeth. Falces long, conical, directed slightly inwards, divergent at apex, few strong teeth ; pale stoue-colour, clouded with brown. MaxillcB directed towards each other, somewhat pointed on inner side ; labium triangular, broader than long ; organs chocolate-brown, light apices. Urquhart. — On Neiv Species of Araneidea. 95 Sternum cordate, bifurcates at base, light-brown, clouded with a darker hue. Abdomen creamy-white, faintly clouded on fore-part with brown; sparsely clothed with whitish hairs, bristle-like hairs at posterior end, few black tufts ; broader than long, sides prolong, outwards, into sharp conical prominences, 2 mm. in length ; base of abdomen rounded, semicircular indenta- tion over thorax, with brown mark in centre ; transverse row of humps faintly developed ; posteriorly it forms an obtuse angle, contour slightly rounded; four impressed spots form a trapezoid. Ventral surface deeper hue, bronchial opercula brownish. Epigyne greenish-black, prominent, lip- like, somewhat pointed. This species was described from a single example taken at Waiwera. Thlaosoma olivacea. Male.— CeT^h. th., long, 0-6. Abd., long, 1-2; broad, 1-2. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 1st pair, 2-1 mm. Cephalothorax areolate ; chocolate-brown ; two yellowish, half-circular lines extend along caput grooves, conjoined in centre of thorax, curving outwards near base ; clothed with a few stout white lanceolate hairs, long erect black one at base of caput ; oval, laterally compressed at caput, which is upturned, sub-conical, reddish-chocolate colour ; four central eyes, which are comparatively larger than female's, inter- sected by a less defined yellow cross; lateral eyes seated obliquely on strong tubercles, rather less than diameter apart. Clypeus in height equal to about twice diameter and a half of an anterior central eye. Legs moderately stout ; 1-2 and 4-3 nearly equal in length and strength ; brownish-yellow, fore-half of femora, genua, and basal liaK of tibige black ; chocolate annuli at apices of tibial and metatarsal joints; sparsely furnished with light hairs, few spines, long erect bristles ; double row of short, black, tuber- cular spines along outer side of femora of 1-2. Suj)erior tarsal claws differ in size ; inferior claw sharply bent, free end fine. Falpi short, tints of cephalothorax ; humeral joint rather exceeds cubital and radial in length ; cubital joint somewhat applanate, broad, and rounded in front, projects a strong bristle ; radial joint calycoidal ; digital oval, convex, and hairy externally, convexities directed towards each other ; superior and inferior lobes of bulb large, reddish-brown ; projecting at apex is a stout yellowish conical process ; springing from base of article on outer side is a reddish, rather flat, but convex apophysis, curved inwards at apex. Falces long, vertical, somewhat linear ; yellowish, clouded on inner side with brown-black. 96 Transactions. — Zoology. MaxiUh. tb., long, 1-8 ; broad, 1-4. Abd., long, 2-5 ; broad, 1-8. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3=9, 5-5, 4-5, 3-5 mm. Cephalothorax glossy, yellow-amber colour ; oval, moderately compressed forwards ; lateral index of caput nearly equals dcptb of facial space ; median fovea small, oval, strisB irregular, but well-marked ; contour of profile rises from tboracic junction at an angle of about 65°, very sligbt arcb across caput. Clypeus convex, projects forwards, in beigbt nearly equals depth of ocular area. Urquhart. — On Neto Species of Araneidea. lOTf Eyes on black rings, form two evenly curved rows, enclosing a narrow oval space, four centrals nearly form a square ; posterior median eyes rather less than their diameter apart, more than that space from hind-laterals ; anterior centrals dark, separated from each other by a space equal to their diameter, less than that interval fi-om fore-laterals ; side eyes nearly contiguous, placed obliquely on moderate tubercles. Leys bright deep straw-colour ; armature black erect hairs, few slender spines ; first pair of legs longest and strongest ; superior tarsal claws — 1st pair, 7 open teeth, not differing greatly in length or strength ; inferior claw, free and directed outwards, 1 tooth. Pal pi resemble legs in colour and armature ; palpal claw somewhat form of tarsal claw ; teeth broken. Fakes conical, project sensibly forwards ; yellowish. Maxillm straw-colour, somewhat spathulate, inclined towards labixm, which is oval, nearly as long as broad, half length of maxillae, deep yellow. Sternum cordate, colour of lip. Abdomen oviform, yellowish-olive, thickly marked with creamy-coloured flecks, fan-shaped mark on dorsal surface, fore- half heart-shaped, apex directed forwards, black-brown, margined and marked with reddish tints, posterior half narrow, linear, pale-yellow, irregular line of light-brown down centre. Epiyyne transversely wrinkled eminence, orifice semicircular. Taken on Leptospermum ; Waiwera, A.T.U. Theridium venustulum, sp. nov. Female. — Ceph. th., long, 1. Abd., long, 1-9 ; broad, 1'3. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3. First pair, 6-4 mm. Cephalothorax glossy, yellow-amber colour ; broad-oval, mo- derately constricted at caput, which is roundly truncated ; median indentation and normal grooves moderately marked ; profile line rounded posteriorly, rises to occiput ; clypeiis projects forwards, in height rather more than half depth of facial space. Eyes about equal in size, represent two curved rows, enclos- mg a narrow oval s^ace, four centrals form a square, are separated by a space equal to rather more than their diameter, anterior pair dark ; lateral eyes nearly contiguous, seated obliquely on small black tubercles. Leys slender, yellow-amber colour, 1-4, reddish annuli at articulation of tibial and metatarsal joints ; 1 exceeds 2-4 a little in length, two latter nearly equal ; armature long hairs, few fine erect bristles ; superior tarsal claws — 1st pair, 5 comb- teeth ; inferior claw 1 short tooth, point behind. Palpi like legs in colour and armature ; palpal claw 6 comb- teeth, 108 Transactions. — Zoology. Falces pale stone-colour, somewhat linear, project sensibly forwards, strong teeth. MaxillcB somewhat linear, rounded on outer side, yellowish ; labium oval, rather broader than long, nearly half length of maxillae, reddish-amber colour. Sternum cordate, yellow-amber, glossy. Abdomen oviform, projects over base of cephalothorax ; light fine hairs, pale stone-colour, tinged with pink ; median band broad, tapers off at either end, reddish-lake, pale margins. Ventral surface colour of dorsal, spinners small. Ejngyne repre- sents a moderate-sized, slightly concave space, encircled by a very narrow dark-brown membrane, the slightly tumid pale- brown margins curve towards each other on anterior side, but are disconnected by a narrow space. Taken on Leptospermum ; Waiwera, A.T.U. Theridium albo-gullatimi, sp. nov. Plate VIII., fig 11. Male. — Ceph. th., long, 1. Abd., long, 1"1. Legs 1, 2, 4, 3 = 6-2, 4, 3-3, 2-3 mm. Cephalothorax areolate, glossy, yellowish-brown, small oli- vaceous flecks, chiefly along grooves and about caput, on fore- part of which are few bristle-like hairs ; broad-oval, compressed forwards, caput projects forwards, projection blackish ; median fovea dark, large oval, stris well-defined ; contour of profile rises rather abruptly from thoracic junction, forms a faint curve across caput ; cUjpeus projects forwards, height about equal to depth of ocular area. Eyes large, posterior row sensibly recurved, median pair encircled by lake-coloured rings, have pearly lustre of laterals, nearly their diameter aj^art, about that interval from side eyes next to them ; anterior row strongly recurved, centrals dark, largest of eight, three-fourths their diameter from each other, closer to fore-laterals, more than their breadth from posterior centrals ; lateral eyes seated obliquely on somewhat triangular lake-coloured tubercle, nearly contiguous. Legs long, moderately stout, yellowish, chocolate-brown annulations ; femora of 1 darkest, 8-4 greenish tinge ; arma- ture long, stifi" black hairs, few long fine spines, none on meta- tarsi ; superior tarsal claws — 1st pair, 7 teeth ; inferior, 2 small teeth. Palpi rather short, humeral and cubital joints yellowish ; radial somewhat crateriform, about equal to cubital in length ; digital joint oviform, convexities hairy, directed towards each other, project beyond bulb; latter yellowish-brown, viewed from beneath it represents a smooth, convex, oval eminence ; on fore-half is a somewhat circular, narrow, brown membrane termiuating at apex in a short black spiral process. Falces vertical, somewhat linear, glossy amber-colour. Urquhart. — On New Species of Araneidea. 109 Maxilla long, somewhat tapering, curved towards labium, which is broader than long, everted ; organs yellowish. Sternum broad-cordate, yellowish. Ahdomen oval, black-margmed indentation at base ; olive- brown ; a series of oblique bands, formed of wreath-like clusters of large creamy-white flecks, with pinkish centres, extend from base to spinners, converging round lateral margins, leaving a long open space on forepart of median line, dark spot towards posterior end ; sparsely clothed with long black hairs, few bristles ; ventral surface brownish-yellow. Two specimens, taken on webs formed of a few irregular lines, amongst long grass; June-July. Te Karaka, A.T.U. Fam. DEASSID^. Genus Drassus, Walck. Drassus formicarius, sp. nov. Male, immature, — Ceph. th., long, 3; broad, 2. Abd., long, 6 ; broad, 2. Legs, 4, 1, 2, 3=8-5, 7-8, 7, 5-5 mm. Cephalothorax chocolate-brown, sparsely clothed with short fine yellowish hairs ; oval, convex above, compressed forwards, somewhat squarely truncated posteriorly ; median striae rather faint ; contour of profile represents a nearly horizontal line dipping moderately at base ; chjpeus in height equals diameter of a fore-central eye. Posterior row of eyes procurved, median pair oval, closer to one another than they are to hind-laterals a space equal to diameter of latter eyes, which rather exceed former in size ; anterior row procurved, centrals largest of eight, about twice size of fore-laterals, separated from each other by an interval equal to rather more than their radius, closer to side eyes next to them ; space between laterals nearly equal to that between centrals. Legs moderately strong, yellow-brown, broad olive-brown annulations at articulation of joints, faint or absent on terminal articles ; armature fine hairs (on both specimens), only 1 spine at extremity of tibiae and metatarsi of 4 pair ; genual joints of 1-2 about equal in length, tarsi about one-fourth shorter than metatarsi ; tarsal claws — 1st pair, base straight, 4 open some- what crooked teeth, point at base ; claw of fourth pair, 8 teeth increasing in length and strength ; hairs of claw-tuft dilated towards extremity, flattened, extend beneath nearly entire length of tarsi of 1-2, and along sides of metatarsi. Palpi yellowish, humeral joint rather longer than cubital and radial together, latter articles about equal in length. Falces rather short, conical, convex, divergent, project moderately forwards, greenish-brown. 110 Transactions. — Zouloi/y. Maxillm long, dilated and rounded at extremity, slightly curved round lip, which is conical, large, nearly equal to maxillae in length, chocolate-brown. Sternum long-oval, somewhat pointed at both ends, rugulose, chocolate-brown, white hairs. Abdomen linear-oval, moderately convex above ; greenish- slate colour, two broad, transverse, pale-yellow stone-col mred bauds, disconnected on median lice, about equidistant from each other and base of abdomen, a trilobate mark of similar hue above spinners, which have the same yellowish tint ; sparsely clothed with short fine hairs ; ventral surface light- brown. I am indebted for the first specimen to Mrs. Nathan, who captured it on the walls of the Waiwera Hotel ; the second example was amongst Mr. Joseph Mayo's collection, from Drury. Female. — Ceph. th., long, 5; broad, 3. Abd., long, 7; broad, 4. Legs, 4, 1, 2, 3 = 13, 12, 11, 10 mm. CephalotJwrax in colour and form resembles male, median indentation longitudinal, moderately marked. Legs moderately stout, yellow-brown, faint annuli. Palpi resemble legs in colour, short, dense hairs at apex of digital joint ; palpal claw short, free end projects beyond hairs, teeth (?). Abdomen does not differ essentially in form or coloration fi'om males ; epigyne lake-black, large oval, rugose, a some- what hippocrepiform low eminence at anterior end. Waiwera, A.T.U. Fam. THOMISID^. Sub-Fam. PniLODROMiNiE. Genus Hemiclaea, Thorell, Hemiclcea plautus. Plate VIII., fig. 9. Male. — Ceph. th., long, 6 ; broad, 4-2. Abd., loug, 7-5 ; broad, 3. Legs, 2, 4, 1-3. = 24, 22, 17 mm. Cephalothurax glossy, rsd-mahogany colour, sparsely clothed with light pubescence, strong black hairs about margins ; oval, much depressed, moderately constricted forwards ; caput squarely truncated, lateral index about equal to space between lateral eyes, two somewhat cuniform indentations on median line; thorax squarely truncated, median indentation longitudinal, caput and radial stride moderately marked ; ch/pcus in height nearly equal to diameter of an anterior central eye. Posterior row of eyes sensibly recurved, median pair smallest of eight, closer to one another tlian each is to the hind-lateral next to it ; anterior row straight, central eyes largest of eight, separated by nearly their diameter, about same space from hind- Urquhakt. — On New Species 0/ Araneidea. Ill centrals, with which they form a trapezoid, more than their breadth from fore-laterals, latter eyes equidistant from hind- laterals and hind-centrals. Legs moderately strong ; yellow-brown, terminal articles red- mahogany ; armature light pubescence, long, fine, erect black hairs; femora, on superior surface, 2 slender spines ; tibiae, about 3 on inferior side ; metatarsi, 2 at base of article ; on 1-2 scopula extends nearly entire length of penultimate joints ; tarsal claws — 1st pair, coarse, moderately curved ; inner claw 15 teeth, 12 basal somewhat even comb-teeth, 3 terminal, coarse, curved backwards ; outer claw, 4 coarse sparse teeth ; claw- tuft linear, equals claw in length. Palpi yellow-brown, long, slender; humeral joint long, group of 3 spines, dark hairs ; cubital and radial comparatively short, latter reddish, produced above into a broad- subulate process ; digital joint oviform, convex and hairy externally ; bulb, red- dish, large, directed backwards; viewed in front, somewhat hippocrepiform, face concave, concavity shallow, margins wide introflexed ; on fore-part of bulb is a short, curved, black apophysis. Falces short, somewhat conical, project forwards at base, reddish-black, two rows short teeth. MaxiUcB reddish-black, broadest at articulation of palpi, terminal half nearly linear, rounded, divergent ; lip conical, apex rounded, about half length of maxillse, blackish. Sternum oval, yellow-brown, light pubescence. Abdomen stone-brown, shading off to slate-colour on lateral margins, elliptical, base squarely truncated, much depressed. Male bears a marked resemblance to the female,''- differing chiefly in the actual and relative length of the legs, and slen- derness of abdomen. Te Karaka, A.T.U. Otago, P. Goyen. Genus Philodromus, Walck. Philodromus sphcBVoides, sp. nov. Plate VIII., fig. 10. Male.—Ce^h. th., long, 2-6; broad, 2. Abd., long, 3-9; broad, 1-9. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3=10, 9-9, 5-1, 5 mm. Cephalothurax deep pea-green, in some examples lake- coloured about frontal region ; broad-oval, slightly compressed forwards, caput index equals space between anterior lateral and posterior median eye furthest from it ; median indentation and strias not well-marked ; contour of profile rises fi-om thoracic junction at an angle of about 45'', slight slope across caput; clypeus nearly vertical, in height equal to three-fourths depth of ocular area. 'Vide description "Trans. N.Z., Inst.," vol. xiii., p. 199. 112 Transactions. — Zoology. Lecft pea-green, yellow tinge, metatarsi and tarsi red-lake ; 1-2, and 4-3, about equal in length and strength, sparsely furnished with hairs, except at extremities, slight spines on femoral, tibial, and metatarsal joints ; tarsal claws — 1st pair, slightly sinuated, moderately long and curved ; iunir claw 12 teeth, 8 rather fine comb-teeth increasing in length, 4 coarse terminal teeth; outer claw 8 open teeth increasing mu:h in strength, claw-tuft linear, equals claw in length , PaJpi shorter than cephalothorax, yellowish -green ; hmueral joint rather exceeds cubital and radial together in le.i^th; former projects a strong bristle, is widest at its artici.lation with radial joint, which is about equal in length, latter article produced, on outer side, into a broad curved ? pophysis, apex lobed ;> below it, margin is produced into a broad, curved apophysis, concave, apex directed inwards, lake-coloured ; digi- tal joint red-chestnut, oviform, convex and hairy externally, bulb moderately prominent ; a spiral brown beading — in contact with face of bulb — starts ft-om centre, follows margin of con- vexity, terminates at base. Falces vertical, strong, rugose, greenish, clouded with lake- colour, more or less dark beading on outer side. Abdomen cylindric-oval, bright pea-green, spinners usually lake-coloured. Common on. Leptospernmm, male-female ; many of the females taken at Waiwera were larger {max., 8 mm. ; min., 5 mm.) than the single example captured at Lake Tekapo, Canterbury.* All had the coloration of the male. Chjpeiis of female in height equals three-fourths depth of ocular area. Palpal claw resembles tarsal in form, 5 rather coarse teeth. Philodromus anbarus, sp. nov. Male. — Ceph. th., long, 1*9 ; broad, 1*9. Abd., long, 2-5 ; broad, 1-5. Legs, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 8, 7-5, 4, 3-5 mm. Cephalothorax as broad as long, sides rounded, slightly com- pressed forwards; dark pea-green, two broad lake-coloured bauds converge from ocular area, which has same hue, along caput striae as far as shallow median fovea, normal grooves faint ; profile line rises at an angle of 40°, curves slightly across caput ; height of cbjpeus rather exceeds space between anterior median eyes. Legs slender, 1-2, 4-3, about equal in length and strength, brownish-yellow, suffused and aunulated with dark-brown, hind-pairs greenish ; armature few fine hairs, short spines on femora, genua, tibijo, and metatarsi; tarsal claws — 1st pau* rather thick, curved, tip bent, 5 sti-ong open teeth, form of free * Vide description, " Trans. N.Z. Inst.," vol. xiii., p. 44. Iftansatlmna Ifctu |tcalimh f nstiiut^^ Vol. xix.. Pi viii .,->■ "~.,^, "<;3. '< " .'•^^ .-*'*•■ f^:i - . , , , % /l^fA^ ZEALAND SPIDERS. Urquhart. — On New Species of Araneidea. 113 end, 1 short basal tooth; claw-tuft sparse, long, slender plumose hairs. Palpi humeral and cubital joints green, former exceeds cubital and radial in length, latter articles equal; base of cubital slender; radial, yellowish-brown, somewhat linear, short bi-cornute apophysis on outer side; digital joint same tints, small, oviform, tapering, convex and sparsely haired externally ; oval concavity on inferior surface, margins glossy- brown, reddish bulb in centre. Fakes broad at base, tapering, vertical, rugose ; reddish- black. MaxiUiB inferior angle somewhat pointed, superior rounded, inclined towards labium, which is oval, more than half length of maxillae ; these organs have a rich chestnut hue. Sternum cordate, green. Abdomen cylindric-oval, resembles female's in pattern and coloration. Numerous specimens ; frequents Leptospermum. Waiwera.* Philodromtis ovatus, sp. nov. Female. — Ceph. th., long, 2.8 ; broad, 2'-4. Abd., long, 3-5 ; broad, 2-2. Legs, 1-2, 4, 3 = 9-5, 5-5, 5 mm. Cephalothorax pea-green, lake-colour about ocular area ; broad-oval, slightly compressed forwards ; caput roundly trun- cated, lateral index equals rather more than space of side eyes ; median fovea shallow oval, noi-mal grooves faint ; profile line rises at an angle of 45°, slight arch across caput ; height of clijpeus nearly equals space between anterior mediaa eyes. Four central eyes nearly form a quadrilateral figure, posterior side slightly broadest ; lateral eyes placed on prominent tuber- cles, nearly as far from one another as each is from the posterior lateral eye next to it ; fore-lateral largest of eight. Legs pea-green, faintly shaded with lake on anterior surface of femora and tarsi ; 1-2 about equal length, former slightly stouter; slender spines on femora, double row under tibiae and metatarsi ; few, somewhat irregular spines on 3-4 ; black hairs, numerous at extremities ; tarsal claws — 1st pair, 8 teeth, 7 coarse divergent teeth, 1 short tooth at base ; inner claw 12, except 2 basal, open, somewhat coarse teeth ; claw- tuft longer than claw, hairs hnear ; scopula hairs on tarsi. Palpi like legs in colour, about twice length of falces, black hairs, few strong bristles ; palpal claw form of tarsal ; 5 strong, open, somewhat even teeth. Falces vertical, conical, broad at base, greenish. * The female was described ("Trans. N.Z., Inst.," vol. xiii., p. 44.) from two examples in Capt. T. Broun's collection ; owing to the action of spirit, the cephalothorax and legs were erroneously described as amber- colour, instead of pea-green. 8 114 Transactions. — Zoohtfy. MaxillcB broadest at extremity, obliquely truucated, inclined towards Up, which is triangular, more than half length of maxillae, greenish-yellow. Sternum cordate, greenish-yellow. Abdomen oblong-ovate, moderately convex above ; pea-green, white oval mark runs through six impressed spots ; marginal zone corrugated, shaded with lake ; ventral surface greenish ; epigyne greenish-yellow ; fore-part represents a well-defined cir- cuiar band, labia on posterior side, confluent carinate, dividing organ into concave circular depressions. Taken on Leptospermum, single specimen; Waiwera, A.T.U. Fam. LYCOSIDiE. Genus Lycosa, Latr. Lycosa adumbrata, sp. nov. Female.— Gei^h. th., long, 4; broad, 2-7. Abd., long, 4; broad, 3. Legs, 4, 1-2-3 = 12-5, 9 mm. Cephalothorax oval, moderately compressed forwards ; yellow- brown, marginal zone dark-brown, fi-om ocular area, which is brown - black, a large oval brown mark extends to _ base of thorax, posterior portion of caput yellow-brown, striae dark, well-marked, median-line on thorax, and radial strife yellow- brown ; a narrow, oval, grooved eminence occupies crown of thorax ; lighter parts and facial space clothed with short adpressed whitish hairs, erect black hairs on caput ; contour of profile rises at an angle of 70°, slopes forwards with an even curve, dipping abruptly at second row of ej-es ; chjpeus vertical, in height equals space between first and second row of eyes. Anterior row of eyes small, sensibly procurved, laterals slightly the largest, rather closer to median pair than the latter are to each other, a space about equal to their diameter and a quarter ; eyes of second row large, about one-third larger than dorsal eyes, less than their radius from laterals of anterior row, separated from each other by an interval which slightly exceeds their diameter ; eyes of third row placed obliquely, rather further from one another than they are from eyes of second row. Le/s long, moderately strong ; one pair rather stoutish, 1-2-3 about equal in length ; yellow-brown, narrow well-defined brown annuli, 4 on femora, 3 on tibise and metatarsi ; armature fine erect hairs, 2 or 3 nhort spines on femoral joints, 6 or 7 long slender spines on tibial and metatarsal joints ; superior tarsal claws — 4th pair, strong, evenly curved, 8 somewhat coarse open teeth ; inferior claw thick, no teeth. Palpi yellowish, fine hairs, long slender bristles, few spines ; palpal claw short, thick, 4 coarse open teeth. Uequhart. — On New Species 0/ Araneidea. 115 Fdlces somewhat conical, vertical, sharply convex, red- mahogany colour, few longitudinal dark streaks, white hairs. MaxiUcB spathulate, hrowuish-red, inclined towards labium, which is somewhat oval, more than half length of maxillfe, dark-hrown, numerous short white hairs. Steimum broad-cordate, dark-chocolate colour. Abdomen oval, yellow -brown, clouded with black-brown; lighter tints clothed with white hairs — with the exception of an acuminate mark, which extends from base for two-thirds along dorsal line ; four broad, irregular, somewhat acute-crenate transverse bands ; dark patches clothed with dark hairs. Ven- tral surface lighter than dorsal, whitish hairs ; spinners yellowish, short. Epigyne brownish, moderately prominent, oval, centrally produced, on anterior side, into a tapering projection ; labia tumid, obliquely truncated on posterior side, concavities at trun- cation lake-coloured. Single specimen. Te Karaka, A.T.U. Fam. ATTID^. Genus Attus, Walck. Attus aquilus, sp. nov. Female. — Ceph. th., long, 1-5. Abd., long, 1-8. Legs, 4, 1, 2-3. Cephalothorax rugulose, elevated ; thorax less than one- fourth longer than caput, latter slightly compressed forwards ; chocolate-black, moderately clothed with orange and white papillfeform hairs ; contour of profile rises from thoracic junction at an angle of about 60°, slopes forwards across ocular area ; chjpeus very narrow. Anterior row of eyes slightly recurved, close to one another, irides chiefly whitish hairs ; posterior eyes not prominent, slightly further from each other than they are from anterior laterals ; small intermediate pair closer to fore-laterals ; ocular area one-third broader than long. Legs: 4 slightly exceeds 1 (2 mm.) in length; 2-3 about equal in length ; femoral joints brown, sparsely furnished with white and orange papillaeform hairs ; other joints yellowish, brown annuli at articulations ; three curved fane spines on superior surface of femora, latter joints of 1-2 stout; metatarsal spines stronger than tibial ; tarsal claws — 1st pair, outer, 1 strong tooth ; inner claw about 13, 12 close teeth, 1 strong terminal tooth ; claw-tuft linear, equals claw in length. Palpi yellow-brown, radial and digital joints yellowish, white hairs. Fakes short, applanate, in length rather more than diameter 116 Transactions. — Zoology. of an anterior central eye ; transversely wi-inkled, yellow- brown, base dark. MaxillcB somewhat quadrate, slightly rounded. Labium oval, broader than long ; organs yellowish, base dark, lips darkest. Sternum somewhat ovate, chocolate-brown. Abdomen oviform, projects over base at cephalothorax ; mode- rately convex above, rugose, black, sparsely-clothed with orange and white papillfeform hairs ; spinners long, bright - brown. Epifiyne moderately prominent, large, transverse oval, centrally divided by a broadish keel, fluted margins, within concavities, terminate on anterior side in dark spiral processes. Male. — Ceph. th., long, 1*5. Abd., long, 1-2. Cephalothorax of male does not differ essentially from female's in form- —slightly broader — or colour. Legs 1-2 strong, femoral joints applanate ; 1 pair stoutest, genua and tibi» strong, former article nearly equals latter in length ; metatarsi and tarsi about equal. Palpi brownish, few white hairs ; humeral joint strong, three-fourths length of palpus ; cubital short, broadest at its articulation with radial joint, which is somewhat cupuliform, projects on outer side, a fine-pointed, curved, black apophysis ; digital joint large, oviform, yellowish, convex and hairy exter- nally, bulb large, somewhat conical, apex directed backwards, dull orange-red, short black spine-like apophysis projects down- wards and outwards from fore-part. Abdomen projects rather over cephalothorax, and is more pointed at either end than female's ; red mahogany hue, clouded with dark-brown, sparsely clothed with papillfeform hairs. The cephalothorax in some female specimens has a red- mahogany hue, clouded with black-brown ; abdomen mottled with yellowish-brown and dark-brown. Captured on rocks about road-cuttings ; Waiwera, A.T.U. Att2is bimaculosus, sp. nov. Female. — Ceph. th., long, 2 ; broad, 1-5. Abd,, long, 2-5; broad, 1-3. Legs, 4, 1, 2, 3. Cepfialothorax yellow-amber colour, two black spots on caput, rarely absent ; few erect hairs ; median fovea circular, shallow, contour at profile rises from thoracic junction at an angle of 45°, slight indentation at fovea, slope across caput, which projects forwards ; clypeus in lieight is equal to rather more than radius of a fore-lateral eye, yellowish hairs about eyes and clypeus, directed somewhat centrally. Eyes on large black spots, anterior row curved, nearly half radius of lateral eye apart ; dorsal eyes form with fore-laterals, which they equal in size, a quadrilateral figure, whose trans- verse side is greatest. IJequhart. — On New Species 0/ Araneidea. 117 Legs clear yellow - amber, more or less distinct reddish- brown anuulations, few fine hairs ; first pair stoutest, nearly equals fourth in length, short curved spines on femoral joints ; first pair genua nearly equal to tibife in length, 6 spines on latter; metatarsi slightly exceed tarsi in length, on former 4 long spines exceeding article in length ; tarsal claws — 1st pair evenly curved, outer claw 1 strong tooth ; inner claw about 16 close even teeth, 1 strong apical tooth ; hairs of claw- tuft linear, pointed. Palpi resemble legs in colour, fine light hairs, slender bristles. Falces vertical, short, as broad as long, length equal to diameter of an anterior central eye ; rugose, yellowish. Maxilla; rather broader than long, inferior angle obtuse, project over labium, which is oval, apex everted ; clear yellow. Sternum oval, yellowish, black coarse hairs. Abdomen squarely truncated at base, which rises abruptly from petiolum, which is exposed, tapers towards spinners ; creamy-yellow, two broad somewhat clouded marks of a darker hue extend along dorsal surface, ending near spinners in a series of short oblique bars ; clothed with few fine hairs ; on forepart of epigyne are two circular dark-margined fovea, cen- trally divided by a narrow keel, posterior projection cyathiform, about twice as long as broad, black margins. Examples of immature males do not differ essentially from females. Taken on shrubs and old logs. Whangarei Harbour, T. Broun; Waiwera, A.T.U. Attus sub-fuscus, sp. nov. Female. — Ceph. th., long, 4; broad, 2-5. Abd., long, 4*5; broad, 2-5. Legs 4, 1, 2-3 = 8, 7, 6 mm. Ceplialothorax dark mahogany-Drown, few fine yellowish hairs, widest at fore-part of caput, rounded posteriorly ; median fovea large, circular, shallow ; profile line rises at an angle of 45°, depressed at fovea, slopes across caput ; chjpeus narrow, less than space between central eyes, projecting hairs. Eyes, anterior row sensibly curved, median pair nearly contiguous, laterals about half their radius from centrals, irides bright orange-red hairs ; dorsal eyes are slightly smaller than anterior laterals, and the interval between them rather less. First pair of legs stoutest, red-mahogany colour, hind pairs yellowish-tinge, faintly annulated ; femora have short curved spines on superior surface, spines on tibi« and matatarsi; tarsal claws well curved, outer claw 1 strong tooth ; inner 15 close even and 1 strong terminal tooth ; claw-tuft hnear hairs. Palpi light-brown, digital joint dark, grey hairs, bristles. lis Transactions. — Zoology. Falces short, oval, nearly as broad as long, rugose, rich red- chestnut. Maxilla; broader than long, inferior angle projects over lahiiini, which is oval, everted; red-orange, pale apices, furnished with coarse black hairs. Sternum oval, olive-brown, black and white hairs. Abdomen oviform, dark-brown, clothed with fine pale-yellow, orange-tinted hairs, and coarse black hairs ; lateral margins longitudinally wrinkled, hairs chiefly growing in depressed lines ; large conical brown mark, margins pale on ventral surface ; spinners long, orange-red ; epif/yne moderately pro- minent reddish-brown eminence, on the face of which there are two large circular depressions, divided by a keel more than their diameter in breadth. Some examples have a broad light-brown lanceolate mark on median line, on fore-part are two angular brown marks, apices directed forwards, above spinners are a series of small oblique angular marks. Taken on shrubs, Cordyline ; Waiwera, A.T.U. EXPLANATION OF PLATES. Plate VIL Fig. 1. Epeira i i i • t i.\ ^ J ' -I \ 01 PAoms, or burrowmg tor them- \ . eleyans, Desh. I selves in the softer rocks. Veneridae. 202. Venus oblonga, Hanley. Not common. 203. V. yatei, Gray. Not common, but sometimes washed up by gales. 204. V. stutchburyi, Gray. Sandy and muddy banks, between tide-marks. Abundant. 205. V. costata, Quoy et Gaim. Occasionally washed up after storms. 206. V. niesodesma, Quoy et Gaim. Banks below low water- mark. Not rare. 207. Dosinia australis,GYSiV.\ • i, , nQo T) 1 c [All occasionally thrown up after 209. P. lumbata, Gould. J ^* ^^' 210. Tapes intermedia, Quoy et Gaim. Near low water-mark. Not rare. Pisidiidse. 211. Pisidium lenticula, Dunker. Among Cham and Nitella, Lake Takapuna, but not common. Cardiidse. 212. Cardium striattilum, Sow, A few odd valves have been picked up after gales. Cheeseman. — On the Mollusca of Auckland Isthmus. 175 Chamidge. 213. Chamostrea albida, Lam. Affixed to rocks near low water- mark. Scarce. Lucinidae, 214. Lucina dentata, Wood. Sometimes picked up after gales. Ungulinidse. 215. Mijsia zealandica. Gray. ] Mud-banks at or below low 216. M. striata, Button. ) water-mark. Erycinidae. 217. Kellia citrina, Hutton. In crevices of rocks between tide- marks. Tamaki Heads. 218. Pijthina stowei, Hutton. Dredged in Eangitoto Channel. Solemyidse. 219. Solemya i^arkmsonii, Sm, Often washed up after easterly gales, and a few living specimens have been found buried in mud near low water-mark. Carditidse. 220. Cardita australis, Lam, Not common. 221. C. compressa, Eeeve. Can be dredged in abundance in the deeper parts of the harbour. Unionidae, 222. Unio menziesii, Gray. Lake Takapuna and St. John's Lake ; abundant. 223. V. depcacperatus, Hutton. Lake Takapuna, Hutton. I am not acquainted with this species. Nuculidae. 224. Niicula nitidula, Adams. Muddy places below low water- mark ; plentiful. 225. N. lacimosa, Hutton. With the preceding, and equally plentiful. 226. Solenella australis, Quoy et Gaim. A single living specimen dredged in Eangitoto Channel. Arcidse. 227. Area decicssata. Sow. Eangitoto Eeef, near low water-mark. 228. Pectunculiis laticostatus, Quoy et Gaim. Eeef off Lake Takapuna, near low water-mark. 229. P. striatularis, Lam. Dead shells are occasionally washed up. 176 Transactions. — Zoology. Obder II.— HETEEOMYAEIA. Mytilidse. 230. Mytilus magelJ aniens, Lam. A few dead shells picked up near Lake Takapuna. 231. M. latus, Cli. Abundant on exposed rocks, aud on the piles of wharves. 232. M. ater, Frauen. Eocks near high water-mark ; plentiful. 233. Modiola australis, Gray. Not common. 234. M. fluviatilis, Hutton. Brackish water near Lake Taka- puna. 235. Lithodomus truncatus, Gray. Boring in rocks between tide-marks. Abundant. 336. Crenella impacta, Hermn. Under overhanging ledges near low water-mark, spinning a nest for itself among Tunicata and seaweeds. Order III.— MONOMYAEIA. Pinnidae. 237. Pinna zealandica, Gray. Muddy bays near low water- mark ; not uncommon. Pectinidse. 238. Pecten zealandica, Gray. Near low water-mark, under stones, or at the roots of seaweeds. 239. P. laticostatus. Sand-banks, at and below low water-mark. Anomiidse. 240. Placunanomia zealandica. Gray. Under stones near low water-mark, Eangitoto Eeef ; rare. Ostreidse. 241. Ostrea glomerata, Sow. On rocks between tide-marks ; common. Class IV.— BEACHIOPODA. 242. Terebratella rubicunda, Sol. Eangitoto Island ; under stones near low water-mark; not uncommon. Adams. — Land Mollusca of the Thames Ooldfields. 177 Aet. XX. — The Land Mollusca of the Thames GoMfields. By James Adams, B.A. [Read before the Axickland Institute, lith November, 1886.] It will surprise many of those who spend a large part of their lives in the forests of New Zealand to learn that there are a great number of land-shells in the bush. These shells, how- ever, are in general so small and so inconspicuous that they are only found after a careful search, although every forest has, perhaps, thousands of at least forty different species. They are not only overlooked on account of their small size, but they hide also under leaves, or under the bark or in the crevices of the trees. A few of the larger ones are, of course, well known in the localities where they are numerous — such as Panjphanta hishiji, and Rhi/tida (jreenwoodii — but the greater number range in size from that of a pea to a pin's head. Indeed, one of them, and not the smallest, has a Latin cognomen that means "pin's head." There are at present known to science about one hundred and twenty of the Land Mollusca of New Zealand, and these have been classified and described by Captain Hutton in a paper in the sixteenth volume of the " Transactions."* It occurred to me, when collecting land-shells for him and for my friend Mr. Cheeseman, that it might be useful to make a list of the species found in the Thames District, and to men- tion at the same time the most favourable localities for searching for them. In one respect the land-shells are deserving of more than a passing attention, and that is the surprise that every one must experience in finding them at all in New Zealand. They are easily drowned in fresh water, and salt water is sudden death to them. They cannot bear exposure, as they quickly disappear from even rude clearings ; and yet our laud-shells have their nearest relations in Tahiti, Samoa, and the Solomon Islands. Countless ages must have elapsed while such slowly-moving animals gradually spread over the intervening space between such distant countries. Indeed, their great antiquity is confirmed by the fact of finding fossil land-shells on a fossil tree in the Palaeozoic rocks. It may be supposed that, when forests flourished on the oldest sedimentary rocks of New Zealand, the ancestors of the present land-shells swarmed under the dead leaves and on the tree trunks. * " Trans. N.Z, Inst.," vol. xvi., art. viii. 12 178 Transactions. — Zoology. One vast forest extended, perhaps, from New Zealand to Queensland on the west, and to Tahiti on the east. It may be significant that this very ancient form of fauna is abundant on the nikau {Areca sapida), and on the kiekie (Freycinetia banksii), both of which belong to the most ancient forms of flora. The nikau is a favourite for land- shells in any situation, but they are found more numerously on it in deep shady valleys near the banks of streams. The shells usually found are Carthaa kivi, Patuhi huccineUa, P. corniculum, Phrixipiathus maria, Amphidoxa chiron, and Ihalassin neozelanica. A couple of years ago, after an unsuccessful search for land-shells on the main range of this peninsula, I cut down a nikau [Areca sapida), and by examin- ing each leaf right into the heart I found twelve different species, chiefly of the genera Patuhi, PhrLvynathiis, and Psyra. The kiekie {Freycinetia banksii) usually contams the same kinds of land-shells as those found on the nikau ; but, as a rule, the less number of nikaus in the locality, the greater number and greater variety of shells the kiekie affords. There is a species of Phrixynathus, mentioned in the list appended, that appears peculiar to this tree. The tree-fern is another very ancient type of flora, and here also a successful search for land- shells can be made ; but they are easily overlooked in the brown scales and decaying fronds, except such conspicuous shells as Patula corniculum. 1 have made a special trial of how many kinds of land-shells con be gathered in and about the black tree-fern [Cyathea medullaris), and the silver tree-fern [Cyathea dealbata) that formed a grove, and there were found 19 different species. Of these, 6 were species of Patula, 3 of Phrixynathus, 2 oiFndodonta, 2 of Therasia, 1 Ehm, 1 Amphidoxa, 1 Fruticicola and Thalassia neo- zelanica. The land-shell last mentioned is the commonest found in the bush. It is generally the first to meet the eye when the day's search begins. This search is of course delayed until the real bush track is entered on, that leads through the groves of pukapuka {Br achy glottis repanda) that usually form the outskirts of tlie forest. The large leaves accumulate in hollows, or near the roots of the mahoe {Melicytus ramiflorus), or the pukatea {Atherosperma nova-zealandia), or the taua {Perlsh)neidi> '?fK .^^ ■v.-.. -■ "^ ■ ' _ '■'':.-" ■M iJrt^ slam ±'-UJLn. A.A.I. AJ. S<3.3 art^tPu^ sa.me. . \*sJ- ^i^T^^ "J'ttn— --m '^.,'.^^^^1 J- 13^' A 2 Tijejfv 'brcLrtjc^ ■ .^H'titorl of hrUrtchuuJ efxjn," STEM SECTIONS OF HEMITELIA SMITHIL Buchanan. — On a Specimen of Hemitelia smithii. 217 Aet. XXX. — On a remarkable branching Specimen of Hemitelia smithii. By J. Buchanan, F.L.S. {Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 19th January, 1887.] Plates XII., XIII. The visitor to the slopes of Mount Cargill, near Dmiedin, may have noticed the marked abundance of that beautiful tree-fern Hemitelia smithii, which often attains there a height of 20-30 feet ; and he may also have noticed a strong tendency in this species to divide at the top of the stem into two, and sometimes three, branches. But a remarkable departure, however, from this limited terminal branching has been discovered, which forms the subject of the present paper. The accompanying sketch, drawn from measurements, proves the tree to have been 16 feet in height, and that it has 16 branches, as also several buds. The budding and branching may proceed from any part of the stem, and the specimen has several branches diverging in various directions, which again divide, as in dicotyledonous trees. The accompanying drawings (Plates XII. and XIII.) have been sketched by measurements taken fi-om the fallen tree, it having recently been cut down by some boys. The transverse sections are intended to illustrate the method of branching in this specimen of tree-fern ; they are all drawn one- third natural size, except diagram A B, which is -^-g natural size. There is one remarkable feature in connection with the true or inner stems and branches of tree-ferns : that is, the point of attachment of the branch with the inner or true stem does not increase much in diameter for several inches from the parent stem ; it then gradually enlarges in an upward direction, and becomes covered by the fibrous mass. A weakness in branches might be suggested from this ; but the great strength of tree- ferns is due to the strong fibrous matter enveloping them, which is remarkably strong, and would prove as reliable for a trans- verse strain as many timbers ; they have often been used for short bridges, both as stringers and flooring. In the diagrammatic section, A B, is shown the method of branching in this tree-fern : a branch is produced fi-om a small bud, which pushes its way through the woody inner or true stem of the tree, and also the close fibrous outer covering. (See longitudinal section of A 1, where a transverse and longitudinal section is shown of the method of branching.) The large sections [B B and B 3) are cut 3 feet above A, showing the increase of size in 8 feet of the central core. fe> ™ '*\'g\ UJ LIBRARY a: 218 Transactions. — Botany, Art. XXXI. — On the New Zealand Species of Coprosma. By T. F. Cheeseman, F.L.S., Curator of the Auckland Museum. [Read before the Auckland Institute, 18th October, 1886.] Next to Veronica, the genus Coprosma is the most puzzhng in the New Zealand Flora. Not only are the species highly variable in their mode of growth, foliage, and vegetative charac- ters generally, but the flowers are so small and inconspicuous, and so uniform in their structure, as to offer few distinctive characters of importance. It is thus no easy matter to identify the species even when they are examined in a fresh state, while in the case of dried specimens, it requires the utmost care to arrive at any satisfactory conclusions. For a considerable time I have made the New Zealand Coprosmas a subject of special attention. Most of the species I have seen living in their native stations, and have thus had opportunities of tracing the variations due to differences in soil, altitude, and exposure. I have been enabled to collect large suites of specimens from all parts of the colony, and, in addi- tion, have been favoured with others made for me by friends. Through the kindness of Sir Joseph Hooker, sets of my speci- mens have been compared with the types of the species described by Cunningham and others, and now preserved in the Kew Herbarium, so that my identifications have been rendered more certain. The information and materials that I have collected I now propose to make use of in drawing up a systematic account of the sj^ecies, with the view of rendering their determination more easy, and of supplying, as far as I can, the admitted de- ficiencies existing in all previously published accounts. The genus Coprosma belongs to the liuhiacecB, or Madder family, represented in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere by a sub-tribe (Stellatis) of low-growing herbaceous plants, comprising, among otbers, the well-known Madder, Woodruff, Cross-wort, etc. It is, however, in the tropics and in the south temperate zone that the more typical members of the family are found. Many of these are highly ornamental, and are often seen in our gardens and greenhouses, as the various species of Bouvardia, Ixora, Gardenia, etc. Two well- known economic plants are also included — the Coffee shrub, and the quinine-producing Cincliuna. The close alliance of these plants to Coprosma has led to the suggestion that its bark should be examined for quinine, or the allied alkaloids, and the berry for caffeine. I believe that no exhaustive chemical exami- nation has yet been made, but some preliminary investigations that have been made by Mr. Bkey and others do not warrant very favourable expectations. Cheeseman. — On the Genus Coprosma. 219 The first species of Coprosma were collected in 1769 by Banks and Solauder, during Cook's first voyage. Specimens of six species were brought home to England, and are now pre- served in the Banksian Herbarium in the British Museum, In the manuscript account of the plants of New Zealand, drawn up by Dr. Solander, but which, for some unexplained reason was never published, although made quite ready for the press, even to the preparation of the engravings, the name Pelaphia was proposed for the genus ; and the species were also fully and clearly described. However, as Dr. Solander's names were never actually published, they can have no standing in botanical works. During Cook's second visit to New Zealand, in 1772, he was accompanied by Forster, the well-known naturalist. Plants were collected at Queen Charlotte Sound and Dusky Bay, and many of them were subsequently described by Forster in his " Prodromus." The term Coprosma was now for the first time applied to the genus, and two species described — C. lucida and C. fcetidissima. For many years these remained the only species actually published fi-om New Zealand. Nothing more was added to our knowledge of Coprosma until Allan Cunningham made his two visits to New Zealand in 1826 and 1838. In his "Precursor to a Flora of New Zealand," which contains the results of these journeys, ten species are enumerated. Three of these are mere synonyms ; and two more were already known. The remaining five are good and distinct forms. Cunningham's descriptions, however, are extremely imperfect, and in many respects faulty and mis- leading. The types of his species are now preserved at Kew ; but, according to Sir Joseph Hooker, (" Handbook," p. Ill,) the si^ecimens have been much intermixed by himself. In 1846, M. Eaoul published in his " Choix de Plantes de la Nouvelle Zelande," a description of Coprot>ma robusta, perhaps the most widely distributed of all our species, but which seems to have been confounded with C. lucida by previous botanists. About the same time Mr. Colenso contributed to the Tasmanian " Journal of Natural Science " a paper entitled " A Tour in New Zealand," in which several additional species were made known. This was afterwards reprinted in Hooker's " Journal of Botany ;" but, unfortunately, I have been unable to obtain a copy. I much regret this, as it is possible that some of Mr. Colenso's species may be identical with some of those described by later writers ; and, if so, his names should take precedence. Hooker's "Flora Antarctica," which appeared in 1845, con- tains an account of the Coprosma collected by the author in the Auckland and Campbell Isles in 1840. Seven species were enumerated, six of which were considered to be new. But of these C. affinis has since been referred by its author to C. 220 Transactions. — Botany. fcetidisshna ; C. myrtiUi folia, which was based on barren speci- mens, has been abandoned, and is probably identical with C. parviflora ; while it is doubtful whether there ia any real dis- tinction between C. repens and C. piumila. In 1854, Sir Joseph Hooker brought out his " Flora Nov® Zealandiffi." Botanists resident in New Zealand, especially Mr. Colenso and Dr. Sinclair, had sent large collections to Kew to be used in the preparation of this work, and among them no small number of Coprosma. The material thus brought to- gether, though still imperfect, was much more extensive than that at the disposal of any of Hooker's predecessors, and it is needless to say that it was worked up with his customary care and accuracy, with the result of producing the first intelligible and comprehensive account of the genus. Nineteen species were described, of which five were new. The principal mistake made was in confusing a number of distinct and dissimilar species under the head of '). myriillifolia, C. divaricata, smd. 0. projnnqua ; but probably the specimens were not good enough, or complete enough, to show the distinction existing between them. The arrangement followed in the more recently-issued "Handbook," differs slightly from that given in the " Flora," but there are no changes of any importance. The species con- fused with C. projnnqua and C. myrtillifolia (= C. parviflora) are separated and put into their proper places, but no less than four distinct species are still included in 0. divaricata. The disad- vantage of working entirely on dried specimens is shown by the fact that in the specific descriptions hardly any use is made of the shape of the fruit, whereas it often gives good distinctive characters. The total number of species admitted in the " Handbook" is 24. Since its publication, no memoir treating of the genus as a whole has appeared, although from time to time new species have been described by Mr. Kirk, Mr. Petrie, Mr. Colenso, and myself. The following summary sketch of the range of variation in the vegetative and floral characters of the genus may be useful to those who have not previously studied the species in detail : — Habit, etc. — The greater number of the species are closely- branched shrubs, varying from G to 12 or 15 feet in height. Some attain the stature of small trees, the largest being C. arhorca, wliich is sometimes 30 feet in height, with a trunk 18 inches in diameter. C. haueriana is remarkable for its great range in size, according to situation and exposure. When growing on black maritime rocks it is often under 2 or 3 feet; while in sheltered places, on rich sandy soil, specimens 25 feet in height have been measured. C. areolata, C. propinqua, and C.Jcetidissiuia occasionally reach 16 or 20 feet, although usually less than that. C. eerrulata is the smallest of the large-leaved Cheeseman. — On the Genus Coprosma. 221 species, and is generally under 4 feet in height. C. spathulata and C. rhamnoides have an average height of from 4 to 6 or 8 feet. C. acerosa has long and flexuous branches, often (in the typical form) much and closely interlaced, forming a dense bush 2 to 4 feet high ; but some states of it are prostrate and sparingly branched. C. depressa is prostrate or sub-prostrate, and often under 1 foot in height. C. repens and C. petriei are the smallest species of the genus. They have jprostrate and rooting, almost herbaceous, stems, closely appressed to the ground, and frequently only a few inches long. The arrangement and disposition of the branches oc- casionally afford characters of importance : thus C. areolata can be at once distinguished fi'om its nearest allies (C tenui- cauUs and C. rotundifolia) by its comparatively narrow and almost fastigiate outline. The mode of branching of C. pro- pinqua, C. parviflora, C. acerosa, and others is characteristic of the species, and gives important aid in their identification. Leaves, — In Coprosma, as in so many Eubiacea, the leaves are invariably opposite, entire, petiole, or sub-sessile, and connected by interpetiolar stipules. In size there is consider- able range. C. grandifoUa often has them as much as 9 inches in length, while in r'. repens and C. petriei they are frequently under ^ inch. The large-leaved species C. (jrayulifolia, C. lucida, C. rohusta, C. haueriana, etc., have a well-developed many- flowered inflorescence, and thus form a fairly well-characterized section of the genus. In the small-leaved species the flowers are either arranged in few-flowered fascicles or are solitary. As to shape, the leaves may be orbicular, ovate, oblong, lanceolate, or even linear. In the same species there is often considerable diversity of shape, and in C. rhamnoides leaves varying from orbicular to linear may be observed on the same bush. C. serrulata has the margins of the leaves minutely serrulate. All the other members of the genus have them quite entire when mature, but in some the very young leaves are obscurely incised. This is well seen in C. rohusta. The texture varies considerably — from very coriaceous in C. lucida, C. rohusta, and C. crassifolia to comparatively thin and mem- branous in C. rotundifolia and C. tenuifolia. The venation is pinninerved, at any rate in the great majority ; but some of the small-leaved species have few lateral veins, although the midrib is always conspicuous and well developed. The veins frequently anastomose, in some forming copious minute reticulations, as in C. tenuifoHa ; in others larger areoles, as in C. areolata and C. tenuicaulis. All the species have a stout vein running round the whole of the margin of the leaf, and often giving it a thickened appearance. In nearly all the species, except a few of the smaller-leaved ones, curious little pits exist on the under-surface of the leaves, 222 Transactions. — Botany. in the axils formed by the union of the primary veins with the midrib. They are never more than ^ inch in length, and, are usually much less. Inside they are lined with numerous stiff white hairs, which, on being treated with caustic potash, are seen to be composed of two or three cells. So far as I have observed, the pits do not secrete anything, and I am quite unable to guess at their function. They are often inhabited by a minute yellow acarid, which makes use of them as a home. Sometimes two or three acarids may be found in the same pit, and they crawl freely about the young leaves and branches. Stipules. — All the species possess interpetiolar stipules. They are more or less triangular in shape, often with minute denticu- lations towards the apex. The margins, or the whole surface, are frequently ciliated or puberulous. At their bases they are generally connate with the petioles, thus forming a short sheath round the branch. In C. linariifolia, especially on the young leafy branches, the sheaths are elongated, and form a very con- spicuous, though variable character. At the apex of the very young stipule a gland is situated which secretes a copious supply of a viscid mucilaginous fluid. These glands are highly developed and in an active state when the adjacent leaves are in the early stages of growth, but shrivel up and cease to secrete long before the leaves attain their fall size. Their office is evidently to keep the young and tender leaves and branches plentifully bathed with fluid. IndumnUum. — Many of the species have puberulous or pubescent branches, and some have the under-surface, or both surfaces, of the leaves similarly provided, C. rotimdifoUa, C. areo- lata, and C. ciliata being perhaps the most conspicuous examples. The degree of pubescence is, however, a very variable :"^:iracter throughout the genus, and can only be employed with consider- able caution for systematic purposes. Infiorescence. — It is not always easy to understand the ar- rangement and position of the flowers, especially in some of the small-leaved species. The most developed inflorescence is seen in C. prandifolia, where it consists of trichotomously-divided many-flowered cymes, springing from the axils of the leaves. Those cymes are often 3 inches in length, and bear from 20-10 flowers in the males, but a much smaller number in the females. At each division of the axis is a pair of connate leaf-like bracts. The ultimate divisions terminate in little clusters of flowers, each cluster being enclosed at the base by a shallow involucel formed by a pair of depauperated leaves and their stipules. Minute bracts are also preseut at the base of each flower. In C. luciila the inflorescence has precisely the same structure, but through the iuteruodes of the primary and secondary axes being shortened it is much more compact. The internodes being still further reduced in length, we reach the arrangement seen in Cheeseman. — On the Qenus Coprosma. 223 C. robiista, where the flowers are congested into a dense many- flowered glomerule, or with two or three superposed glomeruleg. In C. baueriana, C. petiotata, and C. cunninghamii, the flowers are much less in number than in C. robusta, but their arrange- ment is on the same principle. In C. arborea the glomerules are rounder, and even more compact, and in addition to occupy- ing the axils of the leaves, they often terminate the branches, which is never the case in C. robusta. In the small-leaved species the flowers are much reduced in number, and are often solitary, especially the females. As to their arrangement, there are two main types, but they graduate insensibly into one another. In the first, the flower, or fascicle of flowers, is placed in the axil of a leaf, and is thus axillary. If, however, the pedicel of the flower is examined, it will be seen that in all cases two or three series of connate bracts are placed under the flower. The upper series forms a cup-shaped involucre, closely investing the base of the flower, and can be easily mistaken for a calyx, especially in the males, where the true calyx is either much reduced or altogether absent. These connate bracts evidently represent depauperated leaves and their stipules, so that the flowers really termmate minute arrested branchlets. This is the arrangement seen in C. rotundi folia, C. areolata, and C. tenuicaulis. In the second class the flowers quite obviously terminate leafy branchlets. In C. fcetidissima, C. colensoi, etc., they are placed at ends of the main branches, as well as on lateral branchlets, and several pairs of well- developed leaves are usually present, in addition to the bracts mentioned above. In other species (C propinqua, C. parviflora, etc.), the flowers terminate short lateral branchlets only. As these branchlets are frequently much reduced, and often have only one pair of small leaves below the bracts, there is really not much to distinguish the inflorescence from that of the first type. This is particularly the case when the leaf at the base of the branchlet, and from the axil of which it has sprung, is per- sistent, as frequently happens. Flowers. — The flowers are unisexual, and the sexes are placed on different plants. Occasionally, however, a few male flowers are intermixed with the females, and vice versa. Some species, and especially C. robusta and C. foitidissima, now and then produce hermaphrodite flowers, to all appearance well- developed and perfect, but which seldom mature fruit. The flowers are vei-y uniform in shape all through the genus, and thus are of little value in the discrimination of the species. The males are always larger and more numerous than the females. They have a broad or narrow campanulate corolla, divided half-way down, or further, into four or five lobes. The calyx, in the species in which it is present, is minute and cupular, and either truncate or obsoletely 4-5-toothed. In C. 224 Transactions. — Botany. arborea and C. spathttlata, however, it is much larger, and has well-developed linear lobes. Most of the small-leaved species do not possess even the rudiment of a calyx, so far as the male flowers are concerned, but its place is well supplied by the cupular involucel previously alluded to. This involucel is a shallow cup-shaped organ, closely investing the base of the corolla. It is usually four-lobed, two of the lobes being rather larger than the others, but sometimes is quite truncate. It corresponds so closely in shape and position to a calyx as to be readily taken for one, and, in fact, it has often been described as such by authors. But there are suflicient reasons for be- lieving it to be composed of a pair of depauperated leaves and their connecting stipules. In the first place, a similar involucel exists in the female flowers, where the true calyx is always developed ; and in the second, if a sufficient number of speci- mens are examined, examples can be found where the two longer lobes are better developed, and evidently answer to meta- morphosed leaves. In some species, and notably in C. acerosa, it is possible to trace a gradation of forms, from instances where the two longer lobes are hardly distinguishable from ordinary leaves, to cases where they are reduced to minute pro- minences on an otherwise truncate involucel. It should be mentioned, too, that the long lobes of the involucel are always placed crosswise (or decussately) to the pair of undoubted leaves below, which is precisely the position they ought to occupy on the assumption that they are metamorphosed leaves. The stamens, which are either four or five in number, have long slender filaments, and rather large oblong anthers, which hang pendulous from the mouth of the corolla, swinging about with every breath of air. The pollen is small, smooth, and elliptical, and is produced in large quantities. The female flowers are smaller and narrower than the males, approaching tubular in shape. The calyx tube is adnate to the ovary ; the limb is almost always minute, and either obsoletely 3-5-toothed or truncate at the mouth. In C. arborea, C. spatlmlata, and C. linariifolia , however, the limb has compara- tively long linear lobes. The styles are two, very long and slender, being often several times longer than the corolla. They are free to the base, and are covered with stigmatic papilla) for their whole length. The ovary is normally two-celled, with a single ovule in each cell ; but frequently it is three- or four- celled, and more rarely six-celled. In 0. repens it is quite common for the ovary to be four-celled. Fruit. — This is a drupe with two (rarely four or six) one- seeded plano-convex pyreues, applied to each other by their flat faces. In shape it varies from oblong or ovoid to globose ; and in size from ^-| inch. The colour is chiefly orange or red ; but some species have a semi-transparent colourless drupe (C. Chkeseman.— On the Genus Coprosma. 226 arhorea, C. eunninghamii, etc.). In others it is blueish (C. acerosa, C. parvijiora), and iu some black [0. spathuliti, C. tenuicanUa, etc.). The shape is pretty constant in each species, and hence it is of considerable value as a distinguishing character ; but the size, and to a lesser degree the colour, are very variable. Fertilization. — All the species appear to be wind-fertilized. When a male tree in full flower is shaken, clouds of the loose incoherent pollen are driven off; and the long projecting styles of the female flowers, densely clothed with stigmatic papillas, are well calculated to catch the pollen. As a rule, insects are seldom seen on the flowers of any of the species. A small dipterous insect occasionally visits those of C. robicsta and C. propinqua, apparently to feed on the pollen ; but I have never observed it on the female flowers, and consequently it cannot aid in the fertilization of the species. Distribution of the species. — Of the thirty-one species admitted, all but three are confined to New Zealand, includnig in that term the adjacent groups of the Kermadecs, the Chathams, and the Auckland and Campbell Islands. The species found outside the Colony are the following : — C. baueriana, which is plentiful in Norfolk Island ; C. petiolata, which occurs both there and in Lord Howe Island ; and C. repens (C. pumila), which is found on the mountains of Victoria and Tasmania. In the systematic portion of this paper the distribution of the species within the Colony is given as fully as possible, so that it is unnecessary to dwell on that point here. With respect to the character of their habitats, the species may be roughly divided into the following five classes : — 'O 1. Maritime, including C. baueriana, C. petiolata, and the typical form of C. acerosa. 2. Lowland species of wide and general distribution, with no marked preference for any particular soil or situation, such as 0. robusta, C. lucida, C. grandi- folia, etc. 3. Lowland species preferring swampy forests or rich alluvial soils — C. propinqua, C. rutundifulia, C. area- lata, and several others. 4. Lowland species with a local and confined distri- bution, as C. s2Kithulata, C. arhorea, etc. 5. Species confined to hilly or subalpine localities, as C. fatidissima, C. colensoi, C. cuneata, C. repens, and a few others. Before passing to the systematic part of the paper, I have to tender my most sincere thanks to several gentlemen for their kind assistance in its preparation. To Mr. Petrie, of Dmiedin, 16 226 Transactions. — Botany. I am especially indebted. From liim I have received copious and well-selected suites of specimens of the Otagau species, accompanied with descriptive notes of great value. In addition to this, he has communicated to me, in the course of a corre- spondence extending over several years, very many original and important observations derived from his own study of the genus, and which have been of great use to me. Such liberal and generous assistance is as rare as it is valuable. I have also to thank Mr. Colenso, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Adams, Mr. Eeischek, and others for specimens of species of the genus, and for infor- mation respecting them. There remains for me to acknowledge the very important aid afforded by Sir J. D. Hooker and Mr. ISI, E. Brown, of the Kew Herbarium. The latter gentleman has most kindly made a comparison of my specimens with the types preserved at Kew, drawing up a special report on all points of interest ; and his conclusions have been examined and verified by Sir J. D. Hooker. My warmest thanks are due to both. Synopsis of the Species. DIVISION A. — Erect trees or shrubs. Leaves large, broad, usually over 1 inch in length. Flowers fascicled on lateral peduncles, fascicles usually many-flowered. Section I. — Peduncles long, 2-4 inches, trichotomously divided; flowers numerous, in fascicles at the ends of the divi- sions of the peduncle. Leaves large, 3-9 inches long, mem- branous ; male corolla ^ inch, funnel-shaped ... ... ... 1. C lucida. Leaves smaller, 2-5 inches, coriaceous ; male corolla i-inch, broadly tubular 2. C. grandifoJia. Section II. — Peduncles short, rarely over 1 inch ; fascicles dense, many-flowered, or, more ^arely, smaller and few-flowered. Sub-alpine dwarf shrub. Leaves with serrulate margins ... ... ... 3. C scrrulata. Maritime shrub. Leaves dark green, fleshy, obtuse, black when dry ; branches glabrous, or slightly pubescent ... ... A. C. baueriana. Maritime shrub. Young leaves and branchlets minutely pubescent ... 5. C. pctiolata. Leaves coriaceous, oblong or elliptical, acute, 1^-5 inches long ; drupe orange ... ... 6. C. robusta. Cheeseman. — On the Genus Ooprosma. 227 Leaves coriaceous, linear or lanceo- late, ^-1 inch long ; drupe pale and transparent ... ... ... 7. C.cunningliamii. Leaves 1-2 inches, membranous, ovate-oblong, acute, perfectly gla- brous, areolation very minute ... 8. C. acutifolia. Leaves 1-4 iuclies, membranous, ovate to oblong-lanceolate, areola- tion not so minute as the preceding, veins and stipules often hairy ... 9. C. tenuifolia. Tree, 20-25 feet. Leaves coriaceous, ovate- or orbicular-spathulate, nar- rowed into winged petioles ... 10. C. arborea. DIVISION B.— ^Erect, rarely prostrate, shrubs. Leaves small, usually under 1 inch. Flowers in few-flowered fascicles on short lateral branchlets, or solitary. (The lateral branchlets are sometimes so much reduced that the flowers appear to be axillary.) a. Leaves spathulate, suddenly narrowed into linear winged petioles, often longer than the blade. Small shrub 11. C. spathulata. b. Leaves orbicular to linear-obovate or -oblong ; petiole short. * Twigs usually densely pubescent (nearly glabrous in C. temucauUs). Leaves orbicular, orbicular-spathu- late or broad oblong (often narrow in C. rhamnoides). Drupe globose, black or red. Height 4-10 feet. Branches widely divaricating. Leaves |--1 inch, membranous, orbicular, cuspidate. Drupe often didymous, red, -J inch diameter ... ... ... ... 12. C. rotundifolia. Height 5-20 feet ; branches fastigiate ; bark pale ; leaves ^-f inch, mem- branous, orbicular - spathulate or ovate- spathulate, veins reticulated in large areoles ; fruit dark-red, or nearly black, ^-^ inch diameter ... 13. C. areolata. Height 5-8 feet ; branches widely di- varicating ; bark purplish ; leaves ■^-^ inch, orbicular- or ovate-spathu- late, rather coriaceous, veins reticu- lated in large areoles ; fruit globose, black, ^-i inch diameter ... ... 14. C. tenuicaulis. 228 Transactions. — Botany. Height 2-8 feet ; dense or open ; branches hiterlaced ; leaves very variable, orbicular to narrow ob- long, i-f inch long, fruit globose, red, ^-^ inch ** Twigs densely pubescent. Leaves ob- long to linear-oblong or -obovate. Drupe (unknown in C. ciliata) glo- bose. Height 4-10 feet ; leaves oblong, ^-f inch, densely ciliate Height 5-15 feet ; branches slender, often spreading in a horizontal plane. Leaves obovate or linear- oblong, -g--! inch, obtuse, coria- ceous *** Twigs nearly glabrous. Leaves vari- able. Drupe oblong (sub-globose in C. crassifolia) , usually yellow. Height 4-12 feet ; branches exces- sively rigid, interlacing ; leaves or- bicular, very thick and coriaceous, J-f inch; fruit sub-globose, ^-^- inch ... Height 4-15 feet; branches stout or slender, often interlacing ; leaves orbicular-spathulate to oblong, rather coriaceous, i-f inch ; drupe oblong or obovoid, i-^ inch Height 4-10 feet ; branches divari- cating, leaves rounded-oblong or orbicular, thin, ^-f inch; drupe oblong, \ inch Height 4-10 feet ; branches slender, interlacing; leaves ovate-spathulate or elliptic-spathulate, thin, small, \-^ inch ; drupe oblong, greenibh- yellow, \-\ inch ... c. Leaves narrow-linear, J --J- inch x -gV inch. A rambling or lu'ostrate busli, 1-5 feet high ; branches flex- uous, interlaced d. Leaves narrow, linear- oblong, \-^ inch X j^ inch. A large shrub, 8-20 feet high; branches widely divaricating ... 15. C. rhamnoides. 16. C. ciliata. 17. C. parvifiora. 18. C. crassifolia. 19. C. rigida. 20. C. rubra. • i 4: 21. C. virescens. 22. C. acerosa. 23. C. propinqua. Cheeseman. — On the Genus Coprosma. 229 DIVISION C. — Erect, rarely prostrate shrubs. Leaves small or of medium size, ■|--2 inches loug. Flowers termiuating leafy branchlets, always solitary (except the males in 0. linariijolia and sometimes iu C.fcetidissima). Height 6-15 feet ; leaves linear or linear-lanceolate, acute, -^-l-l inch ; stipules sheathing ; male flowers in terminal 3 - 5-flowered fascicles ... 24. dinar iifolia. Slender, 6-15 feet high, extremely foetid when bruised ; leaves oblong, obtuse, rather thin, -1-2 inches; male flowers large, \ inch, some- times fascicled ... ... ... 25. C. fcetidissima. Slender, 3-8 feet high ; not foetid ; leaves ^--f inch, oblong, obtuse or retuse, rather thin ; flowers ^-^ inch ... ... ... ... ... 26. C. colensoi. Stout, much branched, 4-10 feet high ; leaves ^--f inch, linear -obovate, obovate-oblong, or cuneate-oblong, obtuse, coriaceous ... ... ... 27. C. cuneata. Slender, leafy, erect, 5-10 feet high ; leaves \-^ inch, linear or linear- lanceolate, flat, thin ... ... 28. C. microcarpa. Stout, erect or prostrate, 1-4 feet high ; leaves ^-^ inch, linear-lanceolate, concave, coriaceous... ... ... 29. C depressa. DIVISION D. — Stems short, prostrate, and rooting. Leaves small, xjj-^ inch long. Flowers solitary, terminal. Leaves linear-oblong to rounded -ob- long or obovate ; male corolla large, curved, tubular, ^-^ inch long ... 30. C. repens. Leaves linear-oblong or linear-obovate, often hairy. Male corolla small, narrow below, campanulate above, •|^-^ inch long ... ... ... 31. C. petriei. 1. C. grandifolia, Hook, fil., Flora Nov. Zeal., i., p. 104; Handbk. N.Z. Flora, p. 112; C. latifvlia, Col., MSS. ; Pelaphia lata et F. grandifolia, Banks et Sol., MSS. ; Bonabea australis, A. Eich., Flora Nouv. Zel. North Island. — Common throughout, from the North Cape to "Wellington. Altitudinal range from sea level to 2,600 feet. South Island. — Ivelson, common in lowland districts, both in the eastern and western portions of the Province, T.F.C, 230 transactions. — Botany. Quoted from Otago by Mr. Buclaauaii (" Trans. N.Z. Inst.," i., p. 43), but I have seen no specimens from thence. A large, sparingly-branched shrub, 8-15 feet high, with dark- brown bark. Leaves much the largest of the genus, 5-9 inches long, obovate-oblong or elliptic-oblong, acute, dull green, not shining or glossy, membranous, veuis very finely reticulated. Peduncles 1-3 inches long, trichotomously divided. Flowers in fascicles at the ends of the divisions of the peduncle, each fascicle being enclosed in a shallow involucre formed by a pair of reduced leaves (bracts) and their connecting stipules. A distinct though minute calyx is present in both sexes. Male corolla ^ inch long, funnel-shaped. Female much smaller, ^-^ inch, tubular, Drupe about J inch long, oblong, obtuse, yellowish-orange. One of the most distinct species of the genus. The large foliage and well-developed inflorescence separate it from all its allies. C. lucida approaches it m inflorescence, but is at once distinguished by the much smaller more obovate coriaceous leaves, and by the stouter and more compact habit. C. tenui- folia has leaves very near in outline, colour, texture, and venation, but ihey are much smaller ; and, judging from the fruit, the inflorescence is very diflerent. Mr. Colenso has very Idndly favoured me with flowering and fruiting specimens (collected at Hawke's Bay) of a Coprcsma labelled " C. laiifolia, Col.," and which I understand he has lately described as a new species closely allied to C. (jrandifulia. After a careful examination, however, I have failed to find any characters to separate his plant from C. yramUfolia, even as a variety. The leaves are perhaps a trifle more obtuse than is usual, but otherwise I see no difference at all from the ordinary form common near Auckland and in many other places. 2. C. lucida. Forst., Prodr., p. 138 ; D.C, rrodr., iv., p. 378 ; A. Eich., Flora, p. 262 ; A. Cunn., Prodr., ii., p. 2CG ; Eaoul, Choix dcs Plantos, p. 4G ; Hook, fil., Flora Nov. Zeal., i., p. 104 ; Handbk. N.Z. Flora, p. 112. Felciphia laurifolia, Banks et Sol., MSS. North Island. — Common throughout, from the North Cape to Wellington. Altitudinal range from sea-level to over 3,000 feet. Sonth Island. — Nelson, plentiful, T.F.C. ; Marlborough, J. Buchanaii ; Westland, A. llaviilUm ! ; Canterbury, in Banks Peninsula and lowland districts, J. B. Armstrong, T.F.C. ; Otngo, common on the soutb-rast and west coasts, not so plentiful in the north or in the interior, D. Fetrie ! ; Stewart Itland, plenti- ful, D. Peirie. A handsome stout leafy shrub, 4-16 feet high, perfectly glabrous in all its parts. Leaves 2-5 inches long, oblong- Cheeseman. — On the Genus Coprosma. 231 obovate, oblong-lauceolate, or elliptic-oblong, coriaceous, obtuse, apiculate or acute, gradually narrowed into sbort stout petioles, pale glossy-green. Peduncles 1-2 inches long, trichotomously divided. Flowers numerous, in fascicles at the ends of the divisions of the peduncle. Calyx present in both sexes, but limb very inconspicuously toothed. Male corolla i inch long, broadly tubular ; female rather shorter and narrower. Drupe ^-^ inch long, oblong or oblong-obovoid, obtuse, yellowisli- orange. C. lucida varies considerably in habit. When growing in the open it usually forms a dense round-topped shrub ; but when met with as undergrowth in the forest it is much more sparingly branched, and the branches are much longer and spread more. It is allied by its inflorescence to C. grandifolia, but is at once recognised by its very different foliage and habit. From C. robusta it is removed by its paler obovate more coriaceous leaves, which dry a yellowish-green, and not blackish-brown as in that species ; and by the longer peduncles and more open inflorescence. The drupe is also much larger and much more pulpy and juicy than that of 0. robusta. Tlaere is no danger of its being confounded with any other of the large-leaved species. In the " Handbook" the leaves are erroneously described as membranous, probably from becoming thin when dried. In the fresh state they are always coriaceous. 3. C. serrulata. Hook, fil., MSS. ; Buchanan, Trans. N.Z. Inst., iii., p. 212 ; Kirk, I.e. x., App. p. XXXV. South Island. — Sub-alpine localities, but not very common. Nelson, slopes of Mount Arthur and Mount Peel, 3,000 to 4,000 feet, T.F.C. Canterbury, mountain districts above 2,000 feet, J. B. Armstrong ! ; Arthur's Pass, Waimakariri Glacier, moun- tains near Lake Tekapo, T.F.C. Otago : Mount Ida, 2,000 to 3,000 feet ; Mount St. Bathans, 2,000 to 3,000 feet ; Mount Tyndall, 4,000 feet, D. Fetrie ! ; Dusky Bay, on the mountains, A. Reischek ! A robust, leafy, sparingly-branched dwarf shrub, 1-4 feet high, perfectly glabrous in all its parts. Branches few, stout, straggling ; old bark white and papery. Leaves coriaceous, 1-2-1 inches long, oblong-obovate, broadly obovate, or nearly orbicular, rarely narrower and elliptical-oblong, obtuse or apicu- late, narrowed into a short broad petiole ; margins thickened, minutely serrulate ; veins reticulated, very conspicuous on the under-surface. Stipules very large, triangular, margins ciliated. Inflorescence dicecious. Males : in axillary 3-7-flowered fascicles. Calyx apparently wanting. Corolla ^-^ inch long, between 232 Transactions. — Botany. funnel-shaped and campanulate, 4-5-lobed. Stamens, 4-5. Females : solitary, or in 3-5-flowered fascicles. Calyx adnate to the ovary, limb minute, cupular, sometimes with a few irregular teeth. Corolla ^-^ inch long, tubular, shortly 3-5-lobed. Styles long and stout, often 1 inch long, cohering up to the mouth of the corolla. Drupe broadly oblong or sub-globose, J--^ inch long, reddish. A remarkably distinct plant, at once recognized by the minutely serrulate leaves. It is usually found in sheltered places on steep mountain slopes, and rarely attains a greater height than four or five feet. The bark of the stem and branches is white and papery, and is easily detached. The leaves are often very coriaceous, perhaps more so than in most of the species. The male fascicles are often reduced to three or four flowers, and occasionally to a single one. The female flowers are generally solitary, although there is no difficulty in finding specimens with fascicles of three, and, more rarely, with five flowers. It may be remarked, in passing, that in several of the species the very j'oung leaves have their margins minutely incised or serrate, but the character is always an obscure one, and is never present in fully mature leaves, except in C. serrulata. 4. C. baueriana. Endl., Iconog., t. iii. ; Hook, fil., Flora Nov. Zeal., i., p. 105 ; Handbk. N.Z. Flora, p. 112. C. lucida, Endl., Prodr. Flor. Ins. Norfolk, p. GO, non Forst. C. retusa, Hook, fil., Lond. Journ. Bot., iii., p. 416. Pelaphia retusa, Banks et Sol., MSS. North Island. — Abundant all round the coasts, on maritime rocks and sand-hills, but not found inland, save where planted by the Maoris in the cultivations, etc. South Island. — Southern shores of Cook Strait, fi'om Col- lingwood to Picton, but not common. Chatham Island. — J. Buchanan (" Trans. N.Z. Inst.," vii., p. 33G). Also found in Norfolk Island. A shrub or small tree, very variable in size and habit of growth, in exposed rocky places often not more than 2-3 feet high, with almost prostrate branches ; in rich sandy soils some- times 15-25 feet, with a close head of spreading branches. Branches stout, glabrous, or the young ones minutely pubescent. Leaves bright shining gieen, almost fleshy, black when dry, 1-3 inches long, broadly ovate or oblong, rarely narrow oblong, obtuse or retuse, rarely sub-acute, quite glabrous; margins usually recurved, and often conspicuously so ; veins finely reticulated. Stipules short aiid broad. Male flowers clustered in dense heads on short axillary peduncles. Calyx minute, cupular, obsoletely 4-tot»thed. Corolla campanulate, ^-^ inch, Cheeseman. — On the Genus Coprosma. 233 4 - 5-lobed. Females : Peduncles smaller and more slender than in the males, and heads smaller, rarely more than 3-6- flowered. Calyx-limb minute, truncate or obsoletely 4-toothed. Corolla smaller and narrower than in the males. Drupe oblong or ovoid, ^-^ inch long, yellowish-orange. I doubt whether there is any real distinction between this species and C. petlolata. From C. robusta it is separated by its stouter and closer habit, more obtuse, and much more fleshy and glossy leaves, with recurved margins, by the smaller heads of flowers, and by the rounder fruit. C. baueriana is more frequently seen in cultivation than any other species, chiefly on account of its very handsome glossy foliage and compact habit. States having the leaves variegated with white or yellow are not uncommon, and have been intro- duced into European gardens. It forms an excellent hedge, and as it is not easily afl'ected by exposure to salt spray or drifting sand, is very suitable for planting in exposed places near the sea. Thus, at Taranaki, luxuriant garden hedges composed of it may be seen in situations open to the full force of the westerly gales. At Maketu, in the Bay of Plenty, there exists a grove of this species, which the Maoris state had its origin from the skids which were used in pulling ashore the Arawa canoe, on its arrival in New Zealand with the first Maori immigrants. It is said that the skids were brought in the canoe fiom Hawaiiki, but the acceptance of this statement is rendered difficult by the fact that C. baueriana is not known to occur anywhere in Polynesia, or, indeed, out of New Zealand, save at Norfolk Island. 5. C. petiolata. Hook, fil., Journ. Linn. Socy., i., p. 128 ; Handbk. N.Z. Flora, p. 113. C. baueri, F. Muell., Fragm. Phyt. Austr., ix., p. 69, non G. baueriana, Endl. North Island. — Tapotopoto Bay, North Cape. T. Kirk (" Trans. N.Z. Inst.," i., p. 143) ; Castle Point, Wellington, Co/e»6o (" Handbook "). Kermadec Islands. — McGillivray. Also found in Lord Howe's Island and Norfolk Island. "With this species I am imperfectly acquainted. According to Sir Joseph Hooker it is distinguished from the preceding by the leaves being less fleshy, and by the young foliage and branches being covered with a miiiute pubescence. But C. baueriana often has the young branches covered with a minute velvety pubescence, and the leaves vary in texture. Sir F. Mueller, in his " Fragmenta" (vol. ix., p. 69), unites both species, and probably this is the correct view to take. 234 Transactions. — Botany. 6. C. robusta. Eaoul, Choix des Plantes, 23, t. 21. Hook, fil., Flora Nov. Zeal., i. p. 105 ; Handbk. N.Z. Flora, p. 113. North and South Islands. — Common in lowland districts, from the North Cape to Invercargill. Chatham Islands. — J. Buchanan (" Trans. N.Z. Inst.," vii., p. 336). A stout, leafy, glossy-green slirub, G-15 feet high, perfectly glabrous in all its parts ; bark greyish-brown. Leaves coria- ceous, very variable in size and shape, 1-^-5 inches long, lanceolate to broad elliptic-oblong, acute, rarely obtuse, narrowed into short stout petioles, dark-green and shiniog above, paler below. Flowers clustered in axillary many-flowered glomerules. Males : Calyx minute, cupular, minutely 4 - 5-toothed or quite truncate. Corolla y-^ inch long, campanulate, shortly or deeply 3 - 5-lobed. Stamens, 3-5. Females: Much smaller, ^ - -^ inch long. Calyx-limb truncate, or rarely with a few irregular teeth. Corolla tubular, shortly 3 -5-lobed. Drupes densely packed, oblong to ovoid, rarely obovoid, \-\ inch long, yellowish- or reddish-orange. C. robusta has a very wide and general distribution. Unlike many of the other species, it is not restricted to any particular class of habitat, but is seen in all soils and situations, whether sheltered or exposed, near the sea or inland. As a rule, how- ever, it does not ascend the mountains to a greater height than about 2,500 feet. In its ordinary state it is not at all difticult to recognize. The characters separating it from C. lucida I have pointed out under that species. From C. haueriana it is chiefly distinguished by its firm coriaceous leaves, which are not at all fleshy, by the much larger fascicles of flowers, and by the rather smaller and more pointed fruit. From C. cunnimjhamii it differs in the larger broader leaves, much more numerous flowers, and in the colour of the drupe, which appears to be always pale and transparent in C. ctinin'ngJiavni. I have, how- ever, intermediate forms which are difiicult to place, judgmg from foliage and inflorescence alone. From C. acutijulia, C. tenui/ulia, and C. arborea, it is at once separated by the texture and shape of the leaves, and by numerous other points. 7. C. cunninghamii. Hook, fil., Handbk. N.Z. Flora, p. 113. C. fatidissinui, A. Cunn., Prodr., t?i part, noil Forst. North Island. — Not uncommon in the lowlands, chiefly in alluvial grounds by the banks of rivers. South Island. — Usually near the coast. Various localities in Nelson, T.F.C. Banks Peninsula and lowlands of Canterbury, Cheeseman. — On the Genus Coprosma. 236 Anmtrovg, T.F.C. Otago : near Dunedin ; Milton; Inver- cargill, etc., B. Peine! Chatham Islands. — Dicffnibach (" Handbook ") ; Buchanan (" Trans. N.Z. Inst.," vii.', p. 336). Altitudinal range from sea-level to 500 feet. A large, sparingly-branched shrub, or small tree, 6-15 feet in height ; bark pale. Leaves flat, coriaceous, variable in size, ^-2 inches long, usually linear or linear-lanceolate, but occa- sionally broader and shorter and linear-oblong, acute, gradually narrowed into short stout petioles. Inflorescence composed of 3-12-flowered axillary glomerules. Male flowers ^-\ inch long. Calyx minute, cupular, truncate, or obscurely lobed. Corolla campanulate, 4-5-lobed. Female flowers much smaller and narrower. Calyx-limb 4- 5-toothed. Corolla -J --J inch, tubular, 3 - 5-lobed. Styles very long and stout. Drupe broad-oblong or sub-globose, pale, and semi-transparent. Most closely allied to the preceding species, but in its usual state difl'ering in the more slender open habit, pale bark, much smaller and narrower leaves, smaller fascicles of flowers, and particularly in the rounder, pale, and semi-transparent fruit. Intermediate states are plentiful, and some are very puzzling to place in the absence of fruit, especially some Otago specimens sent by Mr. Petrie, and which may be referable to small and narrow-leaved forms of C. rubiista. It is also related to C. pro- pinqua, which, hov^'ever, can be easily separated by its more spreadmg habit, dark bark, smaller and narrower leaves, fewer flowers, and more elongated drupe. 8. C. acutifolia. Hook, fil., Journ. Linn. Socy., Bot., I., p. 128; Handbook N.Z. Flora, p. 114. Kermadec Islands. — McGillivray (" Handbook"). I am totally unacquainted with this species, and can add nothing to Sir J. D. Hooker's description. It seems to be alhed on the one hand to C. grandi/oUa, and on the other to C. tcnui- foUa, but to be distinct from both. It is confined to the Ker- madec Islands. 9. C. tenuifolia. Cheeseman, Trans. N.Z. Inst., xviii., p. 315. North Island. — Euahine Mountains and other localities in Hawke's Bay, W. Colenso ! Pirongia and Karioi Mountains, Mount Egmont Eanges, T.F.C. Forests between the Upper Wanganui and Taupo, T. Kirk! I have already given a description of this species in the volume of the " Trans. N.Z. Inst." quoted above, and do not 236 Transactions. — Botany. propose to repeat it here, as I have no fresh information to offer. The plant was first collected on the Euabine Mountains by Mr. Colenso, many years ago. In the " Handbook " Sir Joseph Hooker referred it, with some doubt, to C. acutifoUa. He now considers it to be distinct, and in this view is supported by Mr. N. E. Brown, who has pointed out to me that the vena- tion of the leaves is entirely different in the two plants, and that C. acutifolia is quite glabrous, while C. tenidfolia is more or less pubescent on the stipules, young branchlets, and midrib and petioles. The inflorescence is probably quite distinct, but as at present the male flower of C. acutifolia and the young females of C. tenui/olia are alone known, it is difl&cult to form an opinion ; although it seems likely that the inflorescence of C. tenuifolia will prove to be more compact than that of O. acuti- folia. 10. C. arborea. Kirk, Trans. N.Z. Inst., x., p. 420. North Island. — Not uncommon from the North Cape south- wards to the Waikato and Thames Elvers. Altitudinal rauge from sea-level to 1,000 feet. A closely-branched round-headed tree, 20-30 feet high, with much of the habit and appearance of Myrsine urvillei. Trunk 6-14 inches in diameter, wood yellowish. Branchlets terete, puberulous towards the tips, bark greyish-brown. Leaves coria- ceous, variable in size, 1-3 inches long, -^-1^ inches broad, ovate -spathulate or orbicular- spathulate, obtuse or refuse, suddenly narrowed into winged petioles ^-f inch long, yellowish-green above, often reddish below ; veins closely reti- culate ; margins flat. Stipules short, triangular, finely ciliate when young. Flowers densely clustered in many-flowered glomerules or heads, which terminate the main branches as well as short axillary branchlets. Males: calyx narrow, deeply divided into 4-5 linear or linear-oblong ciliate lobes. Corolla campanulate, i-inch long, deeply 4-5-lobed, lobes broad, acute. Stamens 4-5, filaments very long. Females: glomerules smaller, usually 4- 12-flowered. Calyx -limb 4-6-toothed. Corolla smaller and narrower than in the males. Drupes closely packed, globose, or more rarely broadly oblong or obovoid, colourless and semi-transparent, J --J inch in diameter. The largest species of the genus, and very distinct from any other. Tlie foliage is nearest to that of C. spathnhda, but is much larger, and the petioles much shorter in proportion. The male flowers are very closely packed, forming large spherical glomerules, and these are placed at the terminations oi' the main branches, as well as on short axillary branchlets. The calyx of the male flowers is better developed, and has deeper divisions than in any other species. Cheeseman. — On the Genus Coprosma. 237 11. C. spathulata. A. Cunn., Prodr. ii., p. 207 ; Hook, fil, Flora Nov. Zeal., i., p. 106 ; Handbk. N.Z. Flora, p. 114; Baoul, Choix des Plantes, p. 46. Pelaphoides rotundijlora, Banks et Sol., MSS. North Island. — Abundant in forests from the North Cape to the Upper Waikato. Altitudinal range from sea-level to 1,000 feet. A small shrub, rarely more than 5-6 feet in height. Branches few, slender and straggling, very young ones finely puberulous. Leaves rather distant, very variable in size, from ^ to 1^ inch long ; blade orbicular or broadly oblong, obtuse, retuse, or emargiuate, coriaceous, quite glabrous, suddenly narrowed into a narrow winged petiole which may be longer or shorter than the blade. 8tipules triangular, cuspidate. Male flowers in 2-3- flowered axillary fascicles or solitary. Calyx deeply 4- 5-lobed, invested at its base by an involucel composed of a pair of depauperated leaves and their stipules. Corolla campanulate, i-J inch long, 4-5-lobed to the middle, lobes revolute. Stamens usually 4. Females usually solitary, but occasionally fascicled. Calyx-limb deeply 4-lobed, lobes erect, acute. Corolla rather smaller and narrower than in the males, funnel-shaped. Drupe globose, -J-^ inch diameter, black and shining when fully ripe. Allied to C. arhorea, from which it is easily separated by the small size, different habit, smaller foliage on longer petioles, fewer flowers, and by the larger black fruit. The leaves are often a bronzy colour, shining and polished on the upper surface. 12. C. rotundifolia. A. Cunn., Prodr., ii., p. 206 ; Hook, fil., Flora Nov. Zeal., i., p. 108 ; Hand- book N.Z. Flora, p. 114 ; Eaoul, Choix des Plantes, p. 46. C. rufescens, Colenso, Trans. N.Z. Inst., xviii., p. 261. North and South Islands. — Common in alluvial soils at moderate elevations, from the North Cape to Invercargill. Altitudinal range from sea-level to 1,500 feet. A large laxly-branched shrub, 6-12 feet high. Branches llong and slender, widely-spreading, irregularly and sparsely jbranched, the young ones densely pubescent or almost villous jtowards the tips ; bark greyish-brown. Leaves in distant 'opposite pairs, i-l inch long, usually orbicular, but varying to broadly- oblong or ovate-oblong, cuspidate or abruptly acute, rarely obtuse, very thin and membranous, more or less pubes- cent and ciliate, especially on the margins and on the veins below, veins finely reticulated ; petioles short, villous. Flowers in axillary few or many-flowered fascicles, rarely solitary. Males: True calyx absent, but in its place one or two mem- branous involucels composed of a pair of depauperated leaves and their stipules. Corolla broadly campanulate, j^ - i inch 238 Transactions. — Botany. long, deeply 4-lobed. Stamens, 4. Female flowers smaller and narrower than the male. Calyx adnate to the ovary, invested at the base by mvolucels similar to those of the male ; limb minute, truncate, or obscurely toothed. Corolla J^- Jj inch, tubular, 3-4-lobed. Drupe variable in size, ^ - |- inch diameter, globose or broader than long, often didymous, red. Distinguished from the following species by its spreading habit, large round leaves, usually densely aggregated flowers, and the smaller red drupe. From iJ. tenuicaidis it is removed by its coarser and more open habit, much larger and more mem- branous leaves, and by the colour of the drupe. C. rubra often closely approaches it in foliage ; but the flowers are larger, and the drupe is oblong and yellow. C. rotiindifolia usually affects deep rich alluvial soils by the banks of rivers, and is particularly abundant in the swampy forests fringing the Northern Wairoa, Thames, Waikato, and other large streams in the North Island. The leaves are often deciduous, so that in spring the plant is usually quite bare. They are perhaps the most membranous of the genus. The fruit is frequently didymous, as described in the " Handbook," but by no means invariably so. 13. C. areolata. Cheeseman, Trans. N.Z. Inst., xvii., p. 315. North Island. — Not uncommon in lowland districts. South Island. — Nelson, plentiful, T.F.C. Westland, A. Hamilton! Canterbury, Banks Peninsula, T.F.C. Otago, not uncommon, D. Cetrie. An erect, closely branched, shrub or small tree, 6-15 feet in height. Branches slender, close, fastigiate, ultimate pubescent or almost villous with soft greyish hairs. Leaves in opposite pairs, ^-f inch long, orbicular-spathulate, ovate-spathulate, or elliptic-spathulate, usually acute or apiculate, rather thin and membranous, flat, glabrous or nearly so above, usually pubescent on the veins below, suddenly narrowed into short hairy petioles ; veins reticulated in large areoles. Flowers axillary, solitary or in few-flowered fascicles. Males: Usually 2-4 together, small, ^-^ inch. True calyx wanting, but one or two calycine involucels closely invest the base of the corolla. Corolla broadly campanulate, deeply 4-5-lobed. Females: solitary, or two together, rarely more, -^X)~^ inch. long. Calyx-limb minute, truncate, or obscurely toothed. Corolla narrow, tubular. Drupe globose or broadly obovoid, ^-^ inch diameter, reddish-black or nearly quite black. Allied on one side to C. rotundifolia, and on the other to C. tenuicaulis. I have already pointed out its differences from the first of these, and C. tenuicaulis is at onco separated by its Cheeskman. — On the Genus Coprosma. 239 smaller size, spreading branches, dark-coloured bark, more glabrous leaves and branchlets, smaller and more coriaceous leaves, and perfectly black globose fruit. 14. C. tenuicaulis. Hook, fil., Flora Nov. Zeal., i., p. 106 ; Handbk. N.Z. Flora, p. 115. North Island. — Not uncommon, especially in swampy forests. I have seen no South Island specimens. Altitudinal range from sea-level to 500 feet. A densely and widely branched shrub, 4-8 feet high. Branches slender, bark plum-colour or dark purplish-brown ; young branchlets finely and shortly puberulous. Leaves in opposite pairs, ^-^ inch long, orbicular or ovate-spathulate, obtuse, somewhat coriaceous, flat, glabrous on both surfaces, narrowed into a broad flat petiole ; veins reticulated in large areoles. Flowers axillary, solitary or more generally in 2-3- flowered fascicles. Males: No true calyx, but the usual calycine involucre present. Corolla broadly campanulate, ^-J inch long, 4-5-lobed. Stamens, 4-5. Females : tuhnlaY, ^-^ inch long. Calyx - limb truncate. Corolla, 3-5-lobed. Drupe globose or depresso-globose, ^-^ inch diameter, shining black. A distinct and well-marked species, which keeps its charac- ters well in all stations. I have already pointed out its differ- ences from C. areolata, which is its nearest ally. It is also closely related to C, rhamnoides, some broad-leaved forms of which come very close. But C. rhamnoides always has much more pubescent branches, and usually narrower and more pointed leaves, with very different venation, and the drupe is usually red. 15. C. rhamnoides. A. Cunn., Prodr., ii., p. 206; Hook, fil., Flora Nov. Zeal., i., p. 107; Handbk. N.Z. Flora, p. 116 ; Eaoul, Choix des Plantes, p. 46. C. divaricata, A. Cunn. Prodr., ii., p. 207, not of Hook. fil. C. concinna. Col., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xvi., p. 330. C. heterophil lla, Col., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xviii., p. 263. ? C. gracilis, A. Cunn., Prodr. North and South Islands. — Abundant throughout, from the North Cape to Stewart Island. Altitudinal range from sea-level to 3,000 feet. A small, densely-branched bush, 2-6 feet high. Branches spreading, stiff, rigid, and often interlaced in exposed places ; more slender and open in shaded. Bark greyish, or reddish- brown, fissured. Ultimate branches densely pubescent, with short stiff white hairs. Leaves very variable in shape and tex- ture, from orbicular or broadly-ovate to narrow oblong, and in some varieties lanceolate or even linear leaves are mixed with the broader ones ; rounded, retuse, or acute, narrowed into a very short petiole, from coriaceous to almost membranous ; 240 Transactions. — Botany. glabrous or puberulouson the under-surface, j-f inch long by ^ - ^ inch broad ; veins reticulated and evident, except in the more coriaceous forms. Flowers axillary, or on short decnrved lateral branchlets, solitary or in few-flowered fascicles. Males : True calyx wanting, but the usual cupuliform involucre com- posed of depauperated leaves and their stipules present. Corolla ji^-i inch long, campanulate, 4 - 5-lobed to below the middle ; lobes often recurved. Stamens, 4-5. Females : smaller, J^-" i\y inch long. Calyx adnate to the ovary, its limb very short, truncate, or obsoletely toothed. Corolla tubular, 4-lobed to below the middle ; lobes narrow, revolute. Drupe globose, usually bright red; occasionally black, \ inch diameter. Var. a. vera. — Leaves orbicular or broadly-ovate, obtuse, often coriaceous. C. rharnnoides, A. Cunu. Var. j3. divaricata. — Leaves broadly ovate, oblong-ovate or oblong, acute, rather thin. Narrower leaves, linear or lanceo- late, often mixed with the broader ones. C. divaricata, A. Cunn. ; but not C. divaricata, Hook. fil. One of the most puzzling and variable species of the genus. Two main forms are distinguishable, as described above ; but it must be borne in mind that numerous intermediates occur, "which might be placed under either head. Var. a, with rounded obtuse leaves, I am informed by Mr. N. E. Brown, answers to Cunningham's type-specimens of C. rharnnoides, now preserved in the Kew Herbarium. Li its extreme state it is stiff and rigid, with coriaceous leaves ; but the branches often become longer and more slender, and the leaves thinner, narrower, and sub-acute. In this state it is C. coucinna, Colenso, as I find from specimens kindly forwarded by Mr. Colenso himself. Var. /3, Mr. Brown assures me, is identical with the true C. divaricata of A. Cunningham, a very different plant to the C. divaricata of the " Handbook ;" and with this view Sir J. D. Hooker now concurs. It varies much in the shape of its leaves — from nearly roimd to ovate, trowel-shaped, or oblong; but as a rule, they are narrower, thinner, and more acute than in the pre- cedmg variety, into which, however, it passes by insensible gradations. Some common subvarieties of it are remarkable for having narrow lanceolate or linear leaves mixed with those of the ordmary form ; these leaves being most plentiful on the younger branches. Mr Colenso has described this as a distinct species, under the name of C. heteroiiJnjIla. The llowcrs are very uniform in both varieties, and offer no distinctive characters of importance. They are perhaps the smallest in the genus, C. teiiuicatdis, C. arculata, and C. rutundi- folia being the nearest in this respect. The fruit is always globose, and usually a dark red — "port-wine" colour. Some varieties, however, have a crimson drupe, and in others the fruit becomes nearly black when decaying. Oheeseman. — On the Oenus Coprosma. 241 16. C. ciliata. (Hook, m., Flora Antarct., i., p. 22 ; Handbk. N.Z. Flora, p. 115.) Auckland and Campbell Islands. — Abundant (" Flora Antarc- tica "). I am not acquainted witli tliis species, and can therefore add nothing to Sir J. D. Hooker's description. The flowers and fruit are unknown, and I am not sure that the plant will not prove to be a variety of C. imrvifiora, mountain forms of which often have ciliate leaves. 17. C. parviflora. Hook, m., Flora Nov. Zeal., i., p. 107 ; Handbk. N.Z. Flora, p. 116. C. viijrti Hi folia, Hook, fil.. Flora Antarct., i., p. 21 ; Flora Nov. Zeal., i., p. 108 (var. a. only). North and South Islands. — Abundant throughout, both m the lowlands and on the mountains. Auckland Isles. — Sir J. D. Hooker, Altitudinal range from sea-level to 4,000 feet. A stout, erect, leafy shrub, 4-12 feet high. Branches stout or slender, much divided ; brauchlets often arranged in a horizontal plane, densely pubescent, sometimes quite shaggy ; bark light grey. Leaves usually close set, fascicled on short lateral branchlets, ^-f inch long, y^^-i inch broad, obovate, linear-obovate, or linear-oblong, obtuse and roimded at the tip, more rarely acute, coriaceous, flat or margins slightly recurved, glabrous, or the petiole and midrib slightly puberulous, or sur- faces and margins ciliate with scattered soft hairs, gradually narrowed into short petioles, veins not conspicuous. Flowers solitary or 2-4 together. Males : True calyx wanting, but two minute 4-toothed involucels present at the base of the flower. Corolla T^o~8 ii^cli long, broadly campanulate, 4-5-partite almost to the base. Stamens, 4-5. Females: Calycine involu- cels present as in the males. Calyx-limb minutely 4-5-toothed. Corolla rV~ ife inch, much narrower than in the males, and not so deeply cleft. Drupe globose, \- k inch diameter, white or yellowish-white, translucent. A well-marked and distinct species, which, though varying within certain limits, can always be distinguished from its allies by its leafy habit, pubescent branches, obovate or linear-obovate coriaceous leaves, and semi-transparent globose drupe. There are three main forms : the first, which may be considered the type of the species, is rather stout and closely branched, with moderately pubescent branches and obovate or linear-obovate coriaceous leaves, which are nearly glabrous. This form is found both in the lowlands and on the mountains. The second, which is common in many places on the mountains of Nelson 16 242 Transactions. — Botany. and Canterbury, has a much more slender habit, softer more pubescent branches, and rather broader much thmner leaves, which are usually ciliate on both surfaces and margins with soft hairs. This might be distinguished as var. 2)i(osa. The third form is stiff and rigid, and very closely branched, with white bark and very small almost linear leaves. It also is montane, and occurs in several places in the Southern Alps, fi'om Nelson to Otago. 18. C. crassifolia. Colenso, Tasmanian Journal of Natural Science. North Island. — Whangarei, T.F.C.; Head of Manukau Harbour, W. Colenso, T. Kirk ! , T.F.C. Sand-hills between Helensville and the West Coast, T.F.C. South Island. — Nelson, Maitai Valley, and other places, T.F.C. Otago, not uncommon throughout the Province, D. Petrie ! A compact rigid bush, 6-12 feet high. Branches divari- cating, excessively stiff and rigid, often interlacing. Bark reddish-brown or greyish-brown, rough, uneven, and fissured on the branches, smoother on the twigs. Ultimate brauchlets glabrous or very finely puberulous. Leaves in pairs on opposite twigs, broadly oblong, ovate, or orbicular, rounded at the tip or refuse, suddenly narrowed into a very short puberulous petiole, fiat, usually very thick and coriaceous, quite glabrous, often whitish below, i-l inch long, i- finch broad; veins usually concealed ; margins thickened. Flowers terminating short lateral often leafless brauchlets (and thus appearing axillary), solitary or more rarely 2-3 together. Males : True calyx wanting, but one or more involucels present, composed of depauperated leaves and their stipules. Corolla ^-J inch long, campanulate, 4-lobed to nearly the base, Stamens, 4. Females tubular, J- - ^ inch long. Calyx adnate to the ovary, limb minute, truncate or obsoletely toothed. Drupe sub-globose or broadly oblong, i - | inch diameter, dull yellow.