THE BEETLES OF NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2104, 20 November 1880, Page 3

THE BEETLES OF NEW ZEALAND.

The Colonial Museum and Geological Survey Department has just published a “ Manual of the New Zea'and Ooleoptera,” by Captain Broun, of Auckland, which must be allowed to be the most important addition to natural history as yet made in the colony. The amount of labour bestowed on this valuable publication, which extends to 650 pages, can hardly be brought out by simply stating that it-contains detailed descriptions of 1141 different kinds of beetles, because it is necessary to examine a collection of New Zealand beetles, and see how minute they generally are, many not so large as a pin’s head, in order to have any idea of the labour involved in examining, comparing, and describing them. Dr. Hector may well say in his preface that “ when it is known that the author has labored without any pecuniary reward, in a remote part of the colony away from libraries, thus entailing a very considerabls expenditure in providing himself with the necessary works of reference, this work cannot fail to be regarded as a monument of the zeal and industry of an ardent naturalist.” But the work displays a good deal more than industry; in it more than 500 species are carefully described for the first time, and many new genera are formed, showing a wide range of knowledge not only of our own insects, but also of those of neighboring countries; and the valuable observations on many of the species prove that the author has a good eye for affinities. The beetles are from all parts of the colony, and wo have to thank Mr 0. M. Wakefield and Mr Pereday that Canterbury is so well represented. We are glad to find that the Colonial Museum is beginning to print catalogues of the New Zealand insects, as insects and agriculture are closely connected. No doubt the present volume is far too technical for farmers, but it is a foundation on which popular books describing the habits of common and destructive insects can be erected, and if our popular books on natural history are to be accurate it is indispensable that the foundations should be scientifically laid. This is not only the most difficult, but also the most important part of the wort, and we are therefore glad to see that Dr. Hector is beginning at the right end, and not attempting to issue popular reports, which, although more attractive at first, would be of little or no ultimate use.