Page:Transactions NZ Institute Volume 8.djvu/293

270, found at Tairua, of a green colour above, but with silvery pubescence underneath. The smallest insect of the kind I know, occurs amongst vegetable rubbish in the Domain; but, though small, it is a pretty beetle.

The members of the Rylotolea abound in most parts of the Province, may be found on almost all the native shrubs, but seem partial to such as are covered with climbers.

This group comprises a great many species, very various as to size and colour, but few exceed seven lines in length, and although they are rarely remarkable for beauty, they exhibit as fine average examples as any other family of indigenous Coleoptera. Rylotoles griseus may be accepted as a rather inferior specimen; but it is perhaps the one most generally known. I have only seen one or two specimens from the South Island, but must not, therefore, infer that it is deficient in species there; on the contrary, I am inclined to think that this group is well represented throughout the whole of these islands. I have sent home about three hundred to be identified.

Although I have found the members composing this section exceedingly numerous, I am unable to give much information respecting them, owing to the reprehensible practice which obtains, with me as well as others, of devoting special attention to the finer or more remarkable families, to the almost entire neglect of such as have no claims to beauty.

They are most abundant on Ti-tree blossoms, but maybe found on most of our native shrubs. All the species are small, and generally rather sombre, varying in colour from black to red and brown. I have sent about a thousand to England to be named; but none have been returned to me as yet. I suspect the number of genera and species will prove to be small, when compared with the number of individuals. They are difficult to set out, a fact which may have something to do with the neglect we have displayed towards them.

This is the last class to be noticed. Coccinella tasmanii is the most common representative species, and may be readily identified by its colour, which is a bright black, ornamented with sixteen yellow spots. Another species, besides four yellow or rather orange marks on the elytra, has a broad orange band around the margins. The other species are insignificant as to size, but have more claim to beauty. One single specimen, which I found at Whitianga, is of a yellow colour with dark spots, somewhat resembling the British Coccinella 22-punctata. I am unable to state whether Chilomenes humata, C. maculata, and Epilachna reticulata occur in this Province, as I have no descriptions of them. The beetle which must be considered the type of the class is one which I discovered at Tairua. It is