KERMADEC INSECTS.

XOTR FROM MAJOR BROVX. Major T. Broun, Fellow of the Entomological Society, of Auckland, with whom were left for classification the insects collected on the Kermadcc Islands by Mr W. Wallace, of Timaru, last year, has prepared a paper for'the '•'transactions'' of the Xeiv Zealand Philosophical Society, in which a list of the collection and-descriptions of the new species are given. Major Broun has sent an abstract of the paper to Mr Wallace. This begins with a description of the difficulties of collecting in the Kermadecs, owing to the ' extremely rugged character of the conn try, with its steep, almost perpendicular walls of old volcanic craters, and the ridges being narrow yet from 800 to KKK) feet in bright, with very bad footing on loose pumicooiis surlaces, or with close tangled vegetation to force one's way through The toilsome and slow travelling necessitated bivouacking away from camp, and the carrying of water as well as food, except at some lakes in the central crater no water fit to drink was met with. il At first, many insects that had been captured under such unfavourable conditions were destroyed by rats, which latter swarm to such an extent that it appears wonderful how they find enough food. One source of supply, no doubt, c<nisisted formerly of the larger insects and grubs, as only a single specimen of moderately large size could be found during the ten months the expedition resided there." More than half the insects collected (about forty) are known in Xew Zealand, and these had been described before; and about a dozen are now described for the first time.