6/0 COLEOPTERA 



tenth. When just captured, the insect is covered with dull greyish scale- 

 like matter ; on its removal the derm appears quite glossy, the intervals 

 between the rows of punctures on the elytra being smooth and shining. 



Length, ij line; breadth, h 



Two more or less mutilated individuals were found at Parua. 



Group— CJOLYDIID^ (p. 199) 

 Epistranus (p. 202)., 



1 1 68. E. valens, ^/.j. Shining, red, the sides piceous, tarsi fulvous. 

 Head retractile, covered with many small tubercles. Trothorax large, 



transversal, considerably rounded laterally at the middle, greatly narrowed 

 behind, transversely convex, bearing many distinct tubercles, but with 

 a distinct dorsal line expanded in front ; this line and the small spaces 

 between the tubercles smooth and glossy. Elytra longer but not much 

 broader than the thorax, widest just behind the oblique shoulders ; 

 coarsely striate-punctate, the intervals between the punctures more or 

 less elevated, most obviously near the sides, where the tubercles become 

 quite distinct. AiitenncB normal, the two basal joints and the club red, 

 the smaller intermediate joints yellowish. Legs finely hispid ; anterior 

 iibicB much bent, the others grooved. 



The insect is somewhat similar to E. humeralis. In its natural state — 

 id est, covered with soft scaly matter — the tuberples on the elytra appear 

 in regular rows ; they are much smaller than those on the thorax, and 

 between the rows are placed palish setce. The elytra are rather abruptly 

 dilated near the base, and, consequently, differ in form from those of the 

 typical species. All three are convex and a good deal contracted at the 

 middle. 



Length, i line ; breadth, \. 



I found one specimen, minus one antenna, near Whangarei Heads. 



Group— CRYPTOPHAGIDiE (p. 223). 

 Paramecosoma. 



Curtis ; Lacord., Hist, des Ins. Coleop., Tom. ii., p. 425. 



The characters of this genus are the same as those of Cryptophagus, 

 except that the tarsi are composed of five joints in both sexes, of which 

 the penultimate is smaller than the preceding. 



1 169. P. maculosa, «.-y. Body oblong, sub-depressed, pubescent, 

 slightly glossy ; head and thorax piceo-fuscous ; elytra castaneous, with 

 three large spots, one at the apex covering the suture, and one at the 

 side, on each, near the middle, nearly black ; legs of a variegated chestnut 

 colour, tarsi testaceous ; antennas reddish, their three terminal joints 

 blackish. 



Head distinctly punctured, the spaces between the punctures 

 finely sculptured ; iyes distinctly granulated. Prothorax marginated 

 laterally, sub-quadrate, its sides sinuously narrowed behind, with distinct 

 posterior angles ; its sculpture exactly like that of the head. Scutcllum 

 broad. Elytra oblong, a little broader than thorax, margined, slightly 



