l6o COLEOPTERA 



290. S. apicella, n.s. Ovate, convex, shining. Antennce, except 

 the basal joint, which is pale-rufous, piceous and pilose ; with the 

 seventh joint narrowed, but not abbreviated. Thorax pitchy-red, im- 

 punctate, and enlarged at the base, so as to conceal the scutellum. 

 Elytra piceous, apex obliquely truncated ; suture in front obsolete, 

 distinct, and somewhat elevated behind ; each has a sutural stria, sharply 

 impressed yet not very perceptible ; and an aciculate impression proceed- 

 ing from the base, curved at the shoulder, and continued along the side 

 margin ; the apex, from a line between the posterior femora, is testaceous, 

 with a large black spot on each elytron, placed near the middle. The 

 legs are dark-rufous ; the tilme, strongly flexuose, terminate in a rather 

 long spine. Pygidiuin conical ; the body underneath is pitchy-red, and 

 the three basal segments of the abdomen are punctulated at their sutures ; 

 there is also a fine furrow on each side of the metasternum, close to the 

 epipleura. 



Length, i line. 



A small rather pretty species, of which I found three specimens under 

 a log at Whangarei Heads. 



FAMILY— H ISTERIDES. 



Ligula very short, generally concealed by the mentum ; its para- 

 glossge membraneous, prominent, divergent, and ciliated inwardly. The 

 two lobes of the maxillce more or less membraneous and ciliated ; the 

 internal very much smaller than the external. Palpi filiform ; the 

 labial with three, the maxillary with four, joints. Anteniu^ retractile, 

 short, bent, eleven-jointed ; the basal joint elongate, the terminal three 

 forming a compact club. Prothorax hollowed in front, closely applied 

 to the elytra. Elytra truncated behind, leaving the last two abdominal 

 segments uncovered. Legs contractile ; anterior coxse strongly trans- 

 versal, the others oviform ; these latter distant ; tarsi five-jointed, very 

 rarely heteromerous. Abdomen composed of five segments. 



Group— HISTERID^. 



Head retractile, invisible underneath. Insertion of antenncB vari- 

 able. Prosternum with or without chin-piece. 



Platysoma. 



Leach ; Lacord. IList. des Ins. Colcop., Tom. i\.,p. 255. 



Mandibles projecting or prominent. LLead large, epistome forming 

 a rather prominent muzzle, and separated by a distinct transversal 

 groove. Antcnnce inserted below the angle of forehead, close to the 

 eye ; their club tri-articulate, oval, and compressed. Prothorax trans- 

 versal or sub-quadrate, sub-truncate at base, apex rather strongly incur- 

 ved, the sides nearly straight. Mesothoracic epimene scarcely visible 

 above. Propygidium very short, hexagonal ; pygidium triangular, 



