882 Froceedings of the Roi/al Society of Victor Id. 



This genus is proposed to receive a small beetle clearly inter- 

 mediate between the Paussidae and Ptinidae ; several other 

 genera have been noted as connecting links between these two 

 families, but there is none so absolutely convincing as this. The 

 head, prothorax, elytra and abdomen strongly resemble those 

 parts of Diplocotes foveicollis, and the legs are much the same ; 

 the two insects, in fact, resemble each other so closely that 

 were the antennae removed they would appear to be very closely 

 allied specifically, much more closely, in fact, than foveicollis to 

 its congener howittan'us. The antennae (formally described 

 under the species) resemble those of many species of 

 Arthropterus. 



The clypeus (or at least what I presume to be the clypeus, as 

 there is a suture on each side separating it from the cheeks) 

 appears as a ridged triangle, of which the apex almost rests 

 between the basal joints of antennae. The mandibles are 

 strong, almost vertical, and close to the front of the prosternum, 

 so that to see the palpi (if these are at all external) it would 

 be necessary to decapitate a specimen. The parts of the legs 

 are so grooved that they can be fitted closely together ; but 

 there are no grooves at the sides of the body to still further 

 protect them ; the tibiae are apparently without apical spines 

 or mucros. 



Paussoptinus laticomis, n. sp. (PI. XXVII., Fig. 7). 



Chestnut-brown ; parts of the head, of the antennae and of 

 the legs, darker. Intercoxal processes and middle of metas- 

 ternum densely clothed with short golden pubescence ; sides 

 of prothorax and sides at base of elytra with a few short hairs ; 

 elsewhere almost or quite glabrous. 



Head transverse ; deeper than long, sides at base projecting ; 

 coarsely punctate. Antennae extending to second segment of 

 abdomen ; first joint thick, cm-ved and coarsely punctate ; second 

 small and invisible except from below ; third twice as wide as 

 long, moderately stout, convex in front, with punctures as on 

 first ; fourtheleventli each widely transverse and comparatively 

 thin, closely joined together and shining ; fourth concave in 

 front and behind ; fifth-eleventh, each concave in front and 



