26 [July. 



impression, extending across it at the base of the mandibles, and also with an arched 

 impressed line connecting the posterior portions of the eyes. Thorax short, con- 

 siderably rounded at the sides, impuuctate. Elytra with a well-marked sutural 

 stria, and with five or six oblique short basal striie; impunctate. Pygidium 

 impunctate. Front tibise reddish, broad, rounded externally, and toothless, but 

 fringed with coarse parchment-Uke cilise. Middle and hind tibise much dilated, 

 furnished externally with large deep pits, in each of which is placed a coarse 

 cilia, these ciliaj on the middle tibise are moderately long, but those on the hind pair 

 are very sliort. Hind femora much dilated. Basal veiitral segment elongate, the 

 others so reduced in the middle as to appear there only like approximate striae. 



This extraordinary species was sent me by Captain Broun, with the 

 No. 188 attached, and the following information : " On sea beach, one 

 found when about to fly from Al^ce on 11th December, 1875 ; and on 

 9th January, 1876, four under decayed fish, and another amongst Alffce.'* 

 The ventral segments (which, in the condition of repose, are, as I have 

 described, completely retractile) appear to be very mobile, so as to be 

 capable of great elongation. 



SOEONIA HTSTEIX, n. SJ). 



Nigro rvfoque vctriegata ; sttpra tomentosa et setis erectis adspersa ; 



protliorace laterihus nndulatis. Xiong. corp. 3 mm. 



Antenna? obscure reddish, 1st joint very broad and dilated, 2nd rather broader 

 than the slender 3rd joint, 4 and 5 distinctly longer than the following, which 

 are short and small, 9^ — 11 forming a rather long club. Head blackish, dull, covered 

 with tomentum, and with some erect setfe, the eyes bearing a patch of setse. Thorax 

 strongly transverse, the front margin sinuate on each side, the lateral margins waved 

 so as to show three or four broad shallow emarginations, the base at the hind angles 

 cut away (or suddenly narrowed), the hind angles sharply defined right angles ; the 

 colour is blackish with red marks at the sides, the surface being uneven, velvety, and 

 bearing short black setse. Elytra reddish, but rendered black by their clothing, 

 which consists of a kind of tomentum, accumulated at some points into thicker 

 patches, and bearing erect setse, most of which are black, but those about the margiim 

 are paler. Legs reddish. Under-surface infuscate-red, passing into blackish about 

 the middle. 



Tairua ; Captain Broun, 



Obs. — Though this peculiar little insect bears at first sight but 

 little resemblance to our European Soronice, I believe, from my ex- 

 amination, that they arc its nearest allies ; and do not detect any pro- 

 minent structural characters to distinguish it. I atiticipate, from the 

 specimens before me, that the species varies a good deal in colour. 



Xenoscelis peolixus, n. sp. 



Tarsis latis, hreviusculis, articnlo quarto ohtecto. Elo7if/atiis^ de- 

 pressuSffusco-ferrufint'US, sat nitidus, tenuitcr 2nihcscens, antcnnis pedi- 

 husque crnssiusculi!; ; crchre jyunctatiis. Long, cor-p. ^\ — 5.^ mm. 



• 



