OF NEW ZEALAND. 355 



Prosternal process plane, broad, truncated behind, where it is pro- 

 longed laterally as far as the outer edge of the coxge ; metasternum 

 short ; abdomen with five ventral segments, the first obtusely produced 

 so that the hind coxae are as widely separate as the middle pair, but not 

 so far apart as the anterior. 



644. P. squamiger, u.s. This insect, in its natural state, is so 

 covered with matter, "fine elongate scales and setae, that its true form 

 and sculpture can hardly be seen; when denuded, it seems rather 

 shining, of a dark reddish-chestnut colour, with the tarsi, palpi, and 

 antennae dark red, the colour of the basal joints of the latter is, however, 

 a good deal obscured by their covering ; the body bears fine obscure 

 yellow scales and coarse erect seta^, the legs are ciliated, and the 

 antennae are clothed with similar setae. 



The head and thorax are impunctate, the elytra bear rows of distinct 

 but not coarse punctures. 



The head is of nearly uniform level, apparently free from depressions 

 of any kind ; the prothorax is broader than long, with irregularly 

 rounded sides, the disc is considerably elevated, so that the sides 

 appear somewhat explanate, the surface uneven, with a transverse 

 depression behind the middle extending from each side margin to the 

 disc ; when undenuded, as before stated, the sculpture is invisible, the 

 apex is emarginated at each side behind the eyes, and the central and 

 most elevated part seems porrected ; the scutellum inconspicuous ; the 

 elytra, when the insect is just captured, appear closely applied to the 

 thorax, and seem somewhat tubercular towards the sides and apex, but 

 when deprived of their covering it is found that such is not really the 

 case, the deep basal emargination is not adapted to the base of the 

 thorax, and the surface though a little uneven is without tubercles ; the 

 shoulders are obliquely narrowed to the width of the thorax, the middle 

 portion is wider and quadrate in form, and they are abruptly deflexed 

 and narrowed behind, so that the apex forms a distinct lobe ; the suture 

 is considerably depressed towards the scutellum. The under surface is 

 of the same colour as the upper, with dense squamosity. 



Length, 3 lines ; breadth, i{i. 



I found several specimens in a decayed fungus in the forest at 

 Parua, Whangarei Harbour. 



645. P. varius, n.s. This species, in its general form, so closely 

 resembles the preceding one that it will be unnecessary to recapitulate 

 what has been written concerning it ; the antennce have rather shorter 

 joints, the third, particularly, is relatively smaller, so that it is not much, 

 though distinctly enough, larger than the contiguous ones, they are 

 setose, but the three terminal joints are rather nude, their colour is dark 

 red. The last joint of the maxillary /rt-/^/ is proportionally stouter ; the 

 prothorax is more contracted posteriorly, and its disc more abruptly 

 elevated and porrected in front, thus giving the sides a more dilated 

 aspect ; the scutellar region is similarly depressed, and the elytral 

 sculpture consists of rows of punctures, the head and thorax being 

 smooth as in P. S(/iianiiger. 



