72 [August, 1876 



Sent by Mr. Edwards and Captain Broun ; Mr. Edwards' specimen 

 witli the No. 1708 ; some of Captain Broun's individuals were indicated 

 as found in tlie wood of Sopliora tetraptera. 



Obs. — This species is rather smaller than our European A. higut- 

 tafus, and somewhat similar in form thereto ; I think it may be placed 

 in Harold's genus Afcenius ; in many respects it resembles A. distans 

 and its allies, but is very readily distinguished from them by the 

 rugose mesosternum. It varies in colour, the elytra being sometimes 

 obscure red. 



PTRONOTA. 



Only one New Zealand species (^Melolonth a f estiva, Eab.) of this 

 genus is at present recognised ; the P. 7'efulgens, Bois., which is in the 

 Munich Catalogue referred to New Zealand, being, according to Bur- 

 meister and Lacordaire, an inhabitant of New Gruinea ; while Melolontha 

 Jccta, Eab., is generally considered to be a mere variety of M. f estiva. 

 Though I cannot speak positively as to this latter point (having only 

 one specimen which I can consider to be Eabricius' M. lata), jet I am 

 able to say that several species exist in New Zealand closely allied to 

 one another, and I think I distinguish four distinct forms. 



1. The form which is commonest in collections is, I believe, 

 Eabricius' 31. festiva ; it is sent commonly from Auckland, and is 

 8 or 9 mm. in length ; it is above of a beautiful pale green, somewhat 

 metallic colour, has a well-marked stripe on the middle of the thorax 

 and along the suture of the elyti'a, of a fuscous colour, and a rather 

 paler stripe near the lateral margin of each wing case ; the under-side 

 is reddish, the legs and antennae yellow, the club of the latter black. 

 In the male, the club of the antennae is about throe-eighths of a line in 

 length ; the froij,t tibiae are broad and curved, and their apex (or apical 

 tooth) is broad and much turned outwards ; the basal joint of the 

 tarsus very long, and inserted far up the tibia. 



2. PrnoNOTA Edwaedsi, n. sp. 



Siqrra minus Icete viridis, cupreo-fusco refulgens, suhtusfusca ; sine 

 lineis obscurioribus, sed sutura cupreo refulgente. 



Long. Corp. G^ — S mm. 



Mas, tibiis anterioribus angustulis, rectis. 



This form differs from Melolontha festiva by its more obscui'c colour, compara- 

 tively rather shorter and broader form, by the absence of stripe on the thorax, and 

 by the metallic suture, and absence of the intra-marginal lateral stripe of the elytra ; 

 and by the differences in the male characters. In that sex the club of the antenna 

 is rather longer than in M. festiva ; the front tibia is more slender, and is straight ; 

 the apical tooth is slender and very little directed outwaitls ; the basal Joint of the 

 tarsus is short, and inserted near the apex of the tibia. 



