OF NEW ZEALAND. 419 



Mandibles and labrum polished, the latter punctate ; head finely and 

 densely punctured in front, more distantly and rather more coarsely 

 behind, with a not very distinct, smooth, dorsal line. Prothorax with a 

 smooth median line, finely punctate, and bearing many short, irregular, 

 aciculate impressions. The elytra are sculptured very much in the 

 same way as the thorax ; each has four longitudinal costae, the sutural 

 becomes obsolete behind the middle, the second extends from base to 

 apex, the third and fpurth proceed from before the middle, but the latter 

 only reaches the apex. The legs are finely pubescent. The last dorsal 

 segment is cordate, smooth and shining, except near the apex and mar- 

 gins, where it is pubescent. 



Length, 5I lines ; breadth, nearly x\. 



Obs. — These measurements were taken from the labrum to the apex 

 of the elytra, and across the shoulders ; my only specimen was cut out 

 of a tree-stump at Patua, near Whangarei Harbour, before being quite 

 mature, in which state the length of the body is seven lines, and the 

 breadth across the fourth ventral segment nearly two lines. 



FAMILY— OEDEMERIDES. 



The menttwi with a peduncle. Ligula prominent, bilobed, its lobes 

 divergent and rounded. Maxilht with two unarmed lobes, the external 

 longer than the inner one. Mandibles nearly always bifid at their 

 extremity, furnished inwardly with a membraneous lamelle and ciliated. 

 Head gradually narrowed posteriorly, terminating in a variable muzzle 

 rarely assuming the form of a rostrum. Antenme with eleven or twelve 

 joints, filiform in the majority, inserted in front of and at a variable 

 distance from the eyes. Prothorax narrower than the elytra, its flanks 

 and pronotum continuous. Elytra^ in general, imperfectly embracing 

 the hind-body. Anterior coxce elongate, sub-cylindrical, contiguous, 

 prominent, their cotyloid cavities widely open behind ; the intermediate 

 of similar form, decumbent, longitudinal, contiguous or sub-contiguous ; 

 the posterior transversal, narrow, contiguous or very near to each other, 

 seldom widely separated : the four front tarsi pentamerous, the hind 

 pair four-jointed, the penultimate joint of the latter nearly always sub- 

 bilobed ; the claws simple. The abdomen with five or six segments, all 

 free. 



Group— CEDEMERID^. 



Intermediate coxa elongated, cylindrical, contiguous or only slightly 

 separated ; the anterior generally very long. Projecting intercoxal 

 process of the abdomen very narrow, acutely triangular, often almost 

 absent. Antenme never inserted on the sides of the muzzle. Scutelliim 

 elongate, curvilinearly triangular. Tarsal claws simple. Metathoracic 

 epimera narrow, external. "^I'he integuments generally somewhat solid. 



Selenopalpus. 



Wliite ; Voy. Er. Terr., Ins., p. 13. 



Head elongate, as long and behind nearly as broad as the prothorax; 

 labrtnn transverse ; mandibles strong and simple ; eyes large, truncated 



