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262 the character of the soil and by climate, more than by food, especially as the very few places throughout the world where they have been found all coincide, so far as I know, in having a light soil and warm dry climate. Should this prove to be the case, it will open up a wide and interesting field for speculation as to the causes which have led to their distribution to such remote corners of the globe, and to their limitation to such small and confined areas. Have they all spread from one centre of creation, or have different types been originated in separate areas of development? Whichever it is, we are pretty sure of this, either that enormous periods of time must have elapsed since the first parent stock migrated east and west, to such extremes of the world as Jamaica and New Zealand, especially when we consider the very indifferent locomotive powers of the species, and its extreme reluctance to leave its native home, or, on the other hand, that some common power has been at work controlling and directing the development of such marvellously intelligent and skilfully artistic creatures in such remote and opposite parts of the globe.



has been suggested by C. M. Wakefield, Esq., of Canterbury, that the publication of my observations on the Coleoptera of Auckland in the "Transactions of the New Zealand Institute" might be the means of disseminating some desirable information. I confess, however, that I accede to the request with diffidence; but, whilst regretting that no abler entomologist has relieved me of the task, I trust that my desire to do justice to the subject will secure the indulgent consideration of the members of the Institute.

I propose, in this short sketch, to confine my remarks on the beetles of this Province to an enumeration of the different families of the order represented here, the names of such characteristic species as are known, adding some few statements regarding the peculiarities of such as I am best acquainted with.

I adopt this method in the hope that it will induce gentlemen of the other Provinces to publish concise accounts of the endemic Coleoptera of each division of the Colony, in order that we may obtain a more accurate knowledge of this interesting order of insects.

I have often had occasion to regret that a properly classified collection of such of the New Zealand Coleoptera as are known to science is not 