50 f August. 



case terminates as an acute point, placed at some distance from the suture : under- 

 surface with a fine cinereous pubescence, the last abdominal segment terminating on 

 each side as an acute tooth. The legs are slender, the tarsi particularly slender. 



This distinct species will be very readily identified. I think it 

 likely that it may prove to be sufficiently distinct structurally, from 

 the other species of Chrosis to form a new genus. 



Greymouth, No. 22, Helms. 



Protelater nigricans, n. sp. 



Elongatus, angnstnliis, sub-cylindricus, niger, sparsim tenniter pubescens, 

 sat nitidus, prothoracis angulis posterioribus picescentibus, abdomine nigro- 

 piceo, lateribus rufis. Long. 11, lat. 2f — 2| mm. 



This species is the largest Protelater yet discovered, and may thus be easily identi- 

 fied also by its black colour, comparatively shining surface, and scanty pubescence. 

 The thorax is shining, rather sparingly and distinctly punctured, the elongate hind 

 angles are much directed outwards ; the elytra are rather deeply striate, the strise 

 distinctly punctur?d ; the interstices are more finely and sparingly punctured, the 

 3rd, 5th, and 7th are, beyond the middle, more elevated than the others. 



The colour of this species is very probably variable ; compared 

 with the large variety of P. elongatus, I find that P. nigricans, inde- 

 pendent of the colour and sculpture, is distinguished by more elongate 

 antenna?, and by the hind angles being more abruptly directed outwards. 



Greymouth, No. 59, Helms. 



SCAPHODIUS COMPACTI7S, 11. Sp. 



Minutiis, breviter oralis, convexus, nitidus, niger, antenna/rum basi orisque 

 partibus testaceis, ptdibus anterwribus fusco-testaceis, posterioribus piceis : 

 prothorace subtiliter sparsim punetato ; elytr'ts striatis, striis punctatis. 



Long. If nun. 



Labrum, palpi, and basal joints of the antenna? pale yellow, the terminal four 

 joints of the latter deeply infuscate. Prothorax at the base continuous with the 

 elytra, to which it is very closely applied, the sides much narrowed in front, very 

 distinctly margined, its surface very shining, and bearing minute, scanty, somewhat 

 elongate punctures ; elytra very distinctly striate, the stria? fine at the base, distinctly 

 punctured, the sutural angles rounded. 



Of this peculiar little insect I have seen only one individual in 

 bad condition, which I obtained from the collection of the late Andrew 

 Murray. I believe it may be referred to the genus Scaphodius, recently 

 established by Chapuis for the New Caledonian Gryptocephalus stria- 

 ticollis ; as, however, that insect is scarcely known to entomologists, 

 and I have not seen it myself, there is considerable doubt whether 

 these two insects will prove to be really congeneric ; I think it, there- 

 fore, well to subjoin the characters I have been able to detect in the 

 specimens before me. 



