BY ARTHUR M. LEA. 225 



from the base, and the tibi^ less compressed than is usual. The 

 puncturation of the elytral interstices is more pronounced than 

 in any of the preceding species. 



Melanterius parvidens, n.sp. 



Elliptic, moderately shining, somewhat convex. ^. Piceous, 

 feebly tinged with red; legs and rostrum paler; 9 almost black. 

 Hairs or setae on upper surface traceable onl}' with extreme 

 difficulty under a Coddington lens; more distinct and of a whitish 

 colour on the under surface and legs. 



Head densely punctate; eyes rounded, coarsely faceted, rather 

 distant. Rostrum long, thin, parallel, moderately curved ; ^ 

 with five narrow carinte continuous from base to antennae with 

 rows of punctures between; 5 without carinte except at extreme 

 base, shining and almost impunctate. Scape in ^ inserted one- 

 fourth from apex of rostrum and passing apex, in ^ inserted 

 very slightly in advance of the middle and scarcely reaching apex; 

 two basal joints of funicle subelongate, 5th-7th transverse. Pro- 

 thorax very feebly transverse; emargination semicircular, ocular 

 lobes rounded but rather prominent; apex narrowed, sides some- 

 what rounded, base scarcely bisinuate; densely punctate, punc- 

 tures frequently confluent ; median line unmarked. Scutelluiin 

 suboblong, punctate. ' Elytra distinctly wider than prothorax 

 and almost four times its length, shoulders oblique, very feebly 

 impinging on prothorax; widest slightly before middle; each with 

 nine rows of elongate, subapproximate punctures set in grooves; 

 interstices finely punctate, raised, and even at base narrower than 

 rows of punctures. Pectoral canal rather narrow and shallow; 

 anterior coxae feebly separated. Mesosternal plate depressed, 

 punctate, anterior angles distinctly raised, apex emarginate, sides 

 incurved, base truncate. Metasternum feebly depressed, densely 

 punctate, sides precipitous, with large rpunctures than disc ; 

 episterna each with a distinct row of punctures, those at base 

 being slightly larger than those at apex. Abdomen rather densely 

 punctate; basal segment large, in ^ slightly concave in middle, 

 in 9 slightly convex; 2nd equal in size to apical and slightl}'^ 

 15 



