196 Transactions. — Zoology. 



a distinct species : this would certainly have been the result 

 had it been sent to Europe. The other varieties in my cabinet, 

 however, show that the extreme form is connected with the 

 typical one. When more material can be accumulated I hope 

 to be able to define these, and perhaps other varieties, in such 

 a way that future workers will not mistake them for distinct 

 species. The genus Trichostemus occurs in Australia as well as 

 in New Zealand : it may be distinguished from the closely-allied 

 Pterostichus by the presence of coarse hairs on the hind part 

 of the prosfcernum; but, as these hairs are liable to be removed 

 by accident, the chief, in fact the only, differentiating cha- 

 racter assigned to this genus by Baron Chaudoir is not a very 

 good one. I feel tolerably certain that I have in my collec- 

 tion several species of Pterostichus that are really Trichostcrni, 

 and they must stay as they are until quite perfect specimens 

 can be obtained. As these insects live on the ground, it often 

 happens that some damp soil adheres to them ; this, on being 

 cleaned off, carries away with it the distinguishing generic 

 character. 



The next on the list, Pterostichus arcluus, was brought 

 from Mount Arthur amongst other Coleoptera by Messrs. 

 Cheeseman and Urquhart several years ago, but, as I had only 

 one example, and that a female, I set it aside in the hope 

 of getting a specimen of the other sex. As I have been unable 

 to get one I have now described it. 



Pterostichus scitipcnnis was found on Mount Pirongia, in 

 the Waikato district, by Mr. A. T. Urquhart, the well-known 

 writer on spiders. It is about half an inch long and nearly 

 one-sixth in breadth, of a pure-black, rather glossy, and has 

 beautifully-sculptured elytra, a circumstance that suggested 

 its specific name. The specimen, a male, is unique as yet. 



The third Pterostichus, P. delator, is another of Mr. W. W. 

 Smith's novelties from Ashburton. It most nearly resembles 

 P. sinuellus, which was discovered by Mr. H. Suter, a resident 

 in your city and an able conchologist, at Dyer's Pass. 



The genus Pterostichus is nearly cosmopolitan. The New 

 Zealand species, now pretty numerous, have been divided into 

 five sections as a key to identification, the number of setae, or 

 hairs, on each side of the thorax being adopted as the basis of 

 classification. This key, or table, lies at Wellington awaiting 

 publication, along with the descriptions of about six hundred 

 new species of our Coleoptera. When published, the key will 

 be very useful to any one who wishes to study our CarabidcR, 

 but it has one defect — the lateral setae may be rubbed off, and 

 in such a case it would be difficult to determine the particular- 

 group or section in which the species under examination should 

 be placed. Unfortunately it cannot be helped, as these hairs 

 are the only means of grouping the species. 



