Beoux. — On PselaphidiE. 231 



as yet. The third species, Bryaxis foveatissi)iia, is primarily 

 distinguished by the presence of four foveie placed in a trans- 

 verse row on the front of the head. The genus Bryaxis consists 

 of a large number of species from Europe, North America, 

 Japan, and other regions. In these species there are usually 

 two frontal and two interocular fovese : sometimes the forraer 

 are obsolete or but little developed, in other cases the two on 

 the vertex are indistinct or wholly absent ; it seldom happens 

 that all four foveie are distinctly impressed. In the present 

 instance the interocular impressions are well marked — quite 

 as distinctly as the frontal ones — so here we have another 

 easily-recognised species. I may here state that considerable 

 value is attached to these fovea; on the head as a means of 

 classification : one European author, Herr Eeitter, of Vienna, 

 has even proposed to establish a new genus, to be made up of 

 such species of Bryaxis as exhibit well-developed frontal fovea? 

 — at any rate, that is one of the characteristics he relied on. 



I feel very much gratified at the result, so far, of Mr. 

 Munro's researches. It is only about a year ago that he 

 began collecting beetles near his residence, and soon after I 

 had explained to him my desire for " minute reddish insects," 

 and the different ways in which they may be captured, he 

 set to work, and found not only the tln-ee curious species 

 already referred to, and some smaller Euplcctus allies not yet 

 determined, but also male examples of species that had been 

 described from specimens of the other sex only. These, I may 

 add, are a great acquisition to a typical collection. 



The brief remarks I have offered may serve as an en- 

 couragement to others who may feel disposed to devote some 

 of their leisure to the collection of the smaller creatures of 

 New Zealand — creatures which, I fear, are doomed to extinc- 

 tion during the process of "land-improvements," so called: 

 reckless waste or irremediable destruction of splendid forests 

 might, I often think, more aptly express what goes on. 



Bryaxis munroi, n. sp. 



Impunctate, shining, red, head and thorax darkest, tarsi 

 fulvous ; clothed with elongate conspicuous hairs. 



Head uneven, the sides broadly raised, the interval de- 

 pressed owing to the fovese appearing confluent, the inter- 

 ocular fovese well marked. Thorax widest before the middle, 

 each side with a fossa-like contraction behind. Elytra ample, 

 somewhat curved laterally, sutural stria; fine but distinct. 

 Legs elongate ; posterior tibia a little bent near the extremity ; 

 basal articulation of hind tarsi armed with an elongate, 

 spiniform, slender process extending more than half-way 

 along the second joint. Under- side pubescent. 



