388 COLEOPTERA 



body, with the exception of the finely ciliated apex of the thorax, and a 

 few bristles on the clypeus, is quite destitute of pubescence. The legs 

 are finely pubescent, with a row of short hair-like bristles on the inner 

 side of the tibise ; the tarsi are elongate and rather densely hispid. 

 The inferior side of the body is of the same colour as the upper, it is 

 almost impunctate, though there are a few comparatively coarse punc- 

 tures on the metasternum. 



Length, 4^ lines ; breadth, if. 



Of this very distinct species, I found six or seven individuals only, at 

 Tairua, Auckland. 



690. A. amaroides, White. This is identical, according to Mr. 

 Bates, with the Plieloneis harpaloides of Pascoe, and the Amarosoma 

 simulans of Redtenbacher ; the species has been mamed harpaloides 

 by White, but as that name is preoccupied, I have, at Mr. Bates' sug- 

 gestion, called it A. amaroides. 



White describes it thus : — 



Greenish olive brown, shining ; antennae and legs ferruginous ; head 

 and thorax very finely punctured ; the head with two longitudinal 

 distant grooves, connected in front by a shallow transverse line ; thorax 

 scarcely as wide as the elytra, very finely margined ; middle and hind 

 femora with ferruginous hairs behind. 



Waikouaiti. 



Note. — No size is given, and I do not see how any one could 

 distinguish this from the many described Australian species, unless by 

 referring to the type in the British Museum and the figure in White's 

 work. As there seems to be so much difference of opinion amongst 

 European authors with regard to this species, I shall not attempt to 

 define it more accurately, until I have had some specimens in my 

 collection compared with the type in the British Museum. I think 

 there are two closely allied species, my examples, which were found near 

 Whangarei Harbour, measuring 2^-3 lines in length, by \\ to li in 

 breadth. 



691. A. seratum, n.s. Oblong, scarcely parallel-sided, sub-depres- 

 sed, of a bronzed brown colour, with ferruginous tarsi and antennae. 



Head inserted up to the eyes, short, rounded laterally; epistome 

 transversal, somewhat emarginate in front, its suture subtruncate behind, 

 labrum much exposed, emarginate, punctate ; it is distinctly but not 

 closely punctured, bears an elongate (sometimes indefinite) depression 

 on the vertex, and a distinct puncture on each side of the epistome. 

 Prothorax sub-quadrate, broader than long, moderately convex, its base 

 a good deal emarginate in the middle, with scarcely acute angles over- 

 lapping the elytra, apex rather deeply hollowed, with slightly depressed 

 almost obtuse angles ; it is a little narrowed and rounded towards the 

 front, but nearly straight behind the middle ; it is narrower than the 

 elytra, its punctation is rather fine and distant, becoming coarser 

 towards the sides and base, and there are some indefinite impressions, 

 two in front near the sides and two at the base. Scutellujn large, 

 broad, curvilinearly-triangular, punctulate. 



