present genus have been examined. The indigenous species of Ophion are extraordinarily difficult to separate, due to what appears to be speciation. Characters which may be used with advantage to differentiate the species of closely allied genera, are of little use in this genus, because of the range of variability. A series of individuals clearly shows colour and morphological gradations which constitute differences within a single species or population, that are greater than those between separate or related species of other groups. On the present materials it is not practicable to weigh and interpret the various characters that could be selected. The New Zealand members of Ophion, clearly demonstrate a fundamental fact in systematics, that populations and not only specimens are being classified. After a considerable time has been spent in searching for constant morphological characters to separate these superficially (colour and habitus) distinct forms that occur within this genus, it is considered desirable to deal with two main groups, which are at once separated by distinct and constant characters, and to deal with the various forms as sub-species within these two groups, which are here considered as widely distributed Polymorphic species. The two groups considered here as species are:—

There are five sub-species of O. inutilis and one sub-species of O. occulatus.

Text-fig. 2.—Relative seasonal abundance of adults of Australophion peregrinus. Collections made over the last 30 years were tabulated by months and the graph constructed from the resulting frequency distribution. Total number of specimens from which data were obtained was 51.

When further material is available for study and with improved techniques, constant morphological characters may be found, in which case the sub-species dealt with here may be with some justification considered as distinct species, with little disturbance to the nomenclature. The present procedure is further justified when it is considered that nothing is known of the ecology, distribution and host relationship of the New Zealand Ophion.

Mr. G. J. Kerrich, of the Commonwealth Institute of Entomology, London, who kindly compared Smith's and Cameron's types in the British Museum with the three typical forms (A, B and C) I sent him from New Zealand gives the following interesting comments:—

“On the basis of structure, sculpture and colour, I feel pretty confident that your species C agrees with the female type of inutilis Smith 1878. The only difference I find is that in your specimen the abdominal segments are relatively a little shorter and stouter. The male type of punctatus Cam. may be the same species, but I am less confident of this. The head is more narrowed behind the eyes, the tentorial impressions are larger, and the genal costa meets the hypostomal distinctly further from the lower mandibular base, almost as far as the distance from the lower mandibular base to the eye. Moreover, the malar space is very decidedly shorter. The first, fourth and perhaps second differences might be due to sexual dimorphism as to whether the distance that the genal costa meets the hypostomal behind the lower mandibular base could be, I can only leave it to you to judge in accordance with your own knowledge of the genus. In the type of inutilis Smith 1878 the antennae are somewhat darkened in about apical two-fifths, much as in your species C, and are nothing like black. In the unique type of punctatus they are both broken beyond the pedicellus. Your specimen has the ocelli rather smaller and more remote from eyes than in the type of inutilis 1878, and decidedly more so than in the male type of punctatus.

“On general appearance, particularly the form of the propodeum, also the paler colour than in the foregoing, I should say that your species B agrees with inutilis Smith 1876; though the decided traces of lateral keels of the area posteromedia in your specimen are not or scarcely discernible in the type, which has also the ocelli smaller and the genal costa meeting the hypostomal just a little more acutely and a little nearer mandibular base.

“In your species B and in the type of inutilis 1876 the area pleuralis of the propodeum is bulging in a manner that possibly suggests that of Australophion, but not to anything like the same degree. In inutilis 1876 the ocelli are small: in Australophion they are much larger, the lateral ocelli separated from the eyes by about half their longer diameter; but they are decidedly not so large as in Eniscospilus antennatus Morley mss. (Queensland and Tasmania) not even as in the European ramidulus L.

“Your species A is larger, has the ocelli relatively larger than in B and C, the malar space much shorter, the dorsal furrow of the pronotum more deeply and sharply impressed, the propodeum of different general appearance, the petiolar segment more uniformly explanate, and the nervellus intercepted low down. I do not find it in our collection.”

The specimens (B and C) sent to Mr. Kerrich, were carefully selected as typical forms, and after receiving the above comments an examination of a series of specimens showed gradation in all the characters mentioned, and failure has