during its metamorphoses, and in due time the imago emerges, prepared to do to some other insect what its mother had already done. I explained these matters to the worthy couple, and I feel sure that the farmer or his wife never molested one of these “horrid flies” again.

Another, but somewhat different, case was brought to my notice a short time ago. A gentleman in Canterbury sent me a specimen of an insect, asking me to name it for him. In his letter he informed me that an orchardist had given it to him, telling him that the beetle had been eating the scale-insects which infested his apple-trees. I at once informed the gentleman referred to that if the orchardist would carefully examine his fruit-trees later on he would find that the beetle was boring into some of his trees instead of ridding them of scaleinsects. The beetle is a Gonipterus, a destructive weevil imported from Australia, most likely amongst the seeds or young plants of Eucalypti.

I have mentioned these facts in order that you may have some idea as to the kind of knowledge possessed, I fear, by very many individuals who hope to gain their livelihood by the cultivation of the soil, but who, it must be apparent, are likely to suffer heavy pecuniary losses through misdirected observation, neglect, and—may I add?—ignorance.

After this digression I shall endeavour to confine my remarks to the Carabidœ.

The new species discovered during the last collecting-season bear the following names:—

The first-named species, Trichosternus crassalis, is the finest in New Zealand so far as we know at present. Trichosternus antarcticus was formerly considered the largest and typical species, but the new one is about one-third larger. It was found at Albury by Mr. W. W. Smith, of Ashburton. This gentleman has been kind enough to place at my disposal a good series of several species of Carabidœ, collected near Ashburton within the last two years. Amongst these are what I consider two or three varieties of Trichosternus antarcticus, which I believe to be common in the neighbourhood of Christchurch. If one of these varieties, the least like the typical form, be examined by itself by some one who has not most of the described species, it would, I have no doubt, be named as

a distinct species: this would certainly have been the result had it been sent to Europe. The other varieties in my cabinet, however, show that the extreme form is connected with the typical one. When more material can be accumulated I hope to be able to define these, and perhaps other varieties, in such a way that future workers will not mistake them for distinct species. The genus Trichosternus occurs in Australia as well as in New Zealand: it may be distinguished from the closely-allied Pterostichus by the presence of coarse hairs on the hind part of the prosternum; but, as these hairs are liable to be removed by accident, the chief, in fact the only, differentiating character assigned to this genus by Baron Chaudoir is not a very good one. I feel tolerably certain that I have in my collection several species of Pterostichus that are really Trichosterni, and they must stay as they are until quite perfect specimens can be obtained. As these insects live on the ground, it often happens that some damp soil adheres to them; this, on being cleaned off, carries away with it the distinguishing generic character.

The next on the list, Pterostichus arduus, was brought from Mount Arthur amongst other Coleoptera by Messrs. Cheeseman and Urquhart several years ago, but, as I had only one example, and that a female, I set it aside in the hope of getting a specimen of the other sex. As I have been unable to get one I have now described it.

Pterostichus scitipennis was found on Mount Pirongia, in the Waikato district, by Mr. A. T. Urquhart, the well-known writer on spiders. It is about half an inch long and nearly one-sixth in breadth, of a pure-black, rather glossy, and has beautifully-sculptured elytra, a circumstance that suggested its specific name. The specimen, a male, is unique as yet.

The third Pterostichus, P. delator, is another of Mr. W. W. Smith's novelties from Ashburton. It most nearly resembles P. sinuellus, which was discovered by Mr. H. Suter, a resident in your city and an able conchologist, at Dyer's Pass.

The genus Pterostichus is nearly cosmopolitan. The New Zealand species, now pretty numerous, have been divided into five sections as a key to identification, the number of setæ, or hairs, on each side of the thorax being adopted as the basis of classification. This key, or table, lies at Wellington awaiting publication, along with the descriptions of about six hundred new species of our Coleoptera. When published, the key will be very useful to any one who wishes to study our Carabidœ, but it has one defect—the lateral setæ may be rubbed off, and in such a case it would be difficult to determine the particular group or section in which the species under examination should be placed. Unfortunately it cannot be helped, as these hairs are the only means of grouping the species.

The next name on the list is Sympiestus oculator. One of this species was found on the Hunua Range, near Drury, by Mr. Koebele, the American entomologist. This is an endemic genus, and at present comprises three species, two of which were found in Canterbury and Westland. They are moderately small, oblong insects, with rather prominent eyes, and long, acuminate, terminal joints to their palpi. They seem to be rare.

Tachys (?) oreobius is one of those small Carabidœ that are so difficult to manipulate and locate in a satisfactory manner. Allied forms are numerous in most parts of the world. This species was brought from Mount Pirongia amongst leaf-mould by Mr. A. T. Urquhart, and I picked it out. It is less than the twelfth part of an inch in length so you can imagine the difficulty of making a thorough examination of the organs attached to the mouth, and of ascertaining exactly the structure of the tarsi. When several specimens are available dissection can be resorted to, but when it is an important matter to mount and preserve the only specimen extant, or in cases where only one of each sex has been found, it is not advisable to break up either of them.

Tachys cavelli is a somewhat similar though larger species. One individual was found at Capleston, in Westland, by Mr. A. T. Cavell, in whose honour I have named it. The country near Capleston, formerly known as Boatman's, is one of the best collecting-grounds known to me, so far as I can judge by the material placed at my disposal.

The last species I have to refer to in this paper is Oöpterus puncticeps. I owe my specimen to the kindness of Mr. H. Suter, who found it at Port Hills. The genus is a “purely antarctic form,” according to the late H. W. Bates, who was perhaps the greatest authority in Europe on the Geodephaga. The species are closely allied, and not at all easy to define accurately by description. They occur in the Auckland, Soledad, and Falkland Islands, which, as you are aware, are separated by wide oceanic expanses. This distribution is remarkable, as all the species are terrestrial in their habits, and, moreover, are without wings. I have at different times described several species, but the present one may be identified by the well-marked interocular punctures.

It is a comparatively easy matter to collect the members of this group. On turning over a log, especially one that has been lying on the ground for some time, some shining greenishblack, or pure-black, oblong insects will be seen. These are Carabidœ. They are mostly nocturnal in habit, and conceal themselves during daylight under decaying logs, under stones, and beneath loose bark. Those found under bark, as may be readily supposed, are usually small and rather flat; they are