Insects.—The great poverty of this class is well shown by the fact, that only eleven species of butterflies are known to inhabit New Zealand. Of these, six are peculiar, and one, Argyrophenga (Satyridæ), is a peculiar genus allied to the Northern genus Erebia. The rest are either of wide range, as Pyrameis cardui and Diadema bolina; or Australian, as Hamdyaas zoilus; while one, Danais erippus, is American, but has also occurred in Australia, and is no doubt a recent introduction into both countries. Only one Sphinx is recorded, and no other species of the Sphingina except the British currant-moth, Ægeria tipuliformis, doubtless imported. Coleoptera are better represented, nearly 300 species having been described, all or nearly all being peculiar. These belong to about 150 genera, of which more than 50 are peculiar. No less than 14 peculiar genera belong to the Carabidæ, mostly consisting of one or two species, but Demetrida has 3, and Metaglymma 8 species. Other important genera are Dicrochile, Homalosoma, Mecodema, and Scopodes, all in common with Australia. Mecodema and Metaglymma are the largest genera. Even the Auckland Islands have two small genera of Carabidæ found nowhere else.
Cicindelidæ are represented in New Zealand by 6 species of Cicindela, and 1 of Dystipsidera, a genus peculiar to the Australian region.
The Lucanidæ are represented by two peculiar genera, Dendroblax and Oxyomus; two Australian genera, Lissotes and Ceratognathus; and by the almost cosmopolite Dorcus.
The Scarabeidæ consist of ten species only, belonging to four genera, two of which are peculiar (Odontria and Stethaspis); and two Australian (Pericoptus and Calonota). There are no Cetoniidæ.
There is only one Buprestid, belonging to the Australian genus Cisseis. The Elateridæ, (about a dozen species,) belong mostly to Australian genera, but two, Metablax and Ochosternus, are peculiar.
There are 30 species of Curculionidæ, belonging to 22 genera. Of the genera, 12 are peculiar; 1 is common to New Zealand and New Caledonia; 5 belong to the Australian region, and the rest are widely distributed.
Longicorns are, next to Carabidæ, the most numerous family, there being, according to Mr. Bates (Ann. Nat. Hist., 1874), about 35 genera, of which 26 are peculiar or highly characteristic, and 7 of the others Australian. The largest and most characteristic genera are Æmona and Xyloteles, both being peculiar to New Zealand; few of the remainder having more than one or two species. Demonax extends to the Moluccas and S. E. Asia. A dozen of the genera have no near relations with those of any other country.
Phytophaga are remarkably scarce, only two species of Colaspis being recorded; and there is only a single species of Coccinella.
The other orders of Insects appear to be equally deficient. Hymenoptera are very poorly represented, only a score of species being yet known; but two of the genera are peculiar, as are all the species. The Neuroptera and Heteroptera are also very scarce, and several of the species are wide-spread forms of the Australian region. The few species of Homoptera are all peculiar. The Myriapoda afford some interesting facts. There are nine or ten species, all peculiar. One genus, Lithobius, ranges over the northern hemisphere as far south as Singapore, and probably through the Malay Archipelago, but is not found in Australia. Henicops occurs elsewhere only in Tasmania and Chili. Cryptops, only in the north temperate zone; while two others, Cermatia and Cormocephalus, both occur in Australia.
Land-Shells.—Of these, 114 species are known, 97 being peculiar. Three species of Helix are also found in Australia, and five more in various tropical islands of the Pacific. Nanina, Lymnæa, and Assiminea, are found in Polynesia or Malaya, but not in Australia. Amphibola is an Australian genus, as is Janella. Testacella and Limax belong to the Palæarctic region.