OF NEW ZEALAND. 



531 



frontal depression ; its surface is ratlier coarsel)' and almost rugosely 

 punctured, and very little elevated. The elytra are elongate, very slightly 

 rounded laterally, and a little wider than the thorax ; they bear punc- 

 tured strise, and the interstices a row of small punctures. The legs are 

 stout, the external apex of the tibice is produced in the form of a strongly 

 curved calcar. The insect is almost destitute of pubescence. 



Length, \\ line. 



I found three exa^mples near Whangarei Harbour. 



943. P. thoracicum, Wollaston; Cistula Entoniologica, vol. i., 

 p. 203. P. parallelofusiforme, angustulum, sub-cylindricum, convexius- 

 culum, nitidum, nigro-piceum, elytris piceis ; rostra longiusculo, paral- 

 lelo, subarcuato, sat dense punctulato ; oculis parvis sed prominentibus; 

 prothorace (pone medium latitudine elytrorum) magno, elongato, trian- 

 gulari-ovato, antice obsolete constricto, sat grosse sed vix dense punctato; 

 elytris sub-cylindricis basi rectissime truncatis, profunde punctato-, aut 

 fere subcrenato-striatis, interstitiis sub-convexis ac minutissime parcis- 

 simeque punctulatis ; antennis pedibusque piceis. 



Long. Corp., lin. 2-2;^. 



Habitat in Novji Zealandia, a Dom. Broun ad Dom. Sharp nuper- 

 rime missum. 



Obs. — Species P. corvino, Novte Zealandia?, primjl facie similis ; sed 

 differt colore magis piceo (nee atro), prothorace majore sublatiore subre- 

 motius punctato et antice obsoletius constricto, oculis magis prominenti- 

 bus, elytrisque profundius punctato-striatis necnon ad basin conspicue 

 rectius truncatis. 



The two examples from which the above diagnosis has been drawn 

 out have recently been communicated by Dr. Sharp, who received them 

 from Captain Broun in New Zealand ; and the species which they repre- 

 sent is evidently much allied to the P. corviuiim. It is, however, un- 

 questionably distinct from the latter, differing from it not merely in its 

 more piceous hue, but likewise in its larger or somewhat more developed 

 prothorax (which is more obsoletely constricted in front, and a trifle 

 more remotely punctured), in its eyes (although small) being more pro- 

 minent, and in its elytra being more deeply punctate-striate, as well as 

 more " straightly-truncated " (or less bi- arcuate) at their base. 



944. P. dilutum, IVollaston; Cistula Entomologica, vol. i.,/. 204. 

 P. connno affine, sed paulo minus et vix subangustius, colore minus 

 nigro (in elytris etiam piceo-castaneo) ; rostro (pra^sertim antice) sensim 

 sublatiore, et a fronte obsolete subdiviso ,; scapoque conspicue longiore, 

 sc. paulo ultra apicem rostri currente. 



Long. Corp., lin. \\-2\. 



Habitat Novam Zealandiam, ab Auckland a Dom. Lawson missum, 

 et a cl. D. Sharp ad describendum nuperrime communicatum. 



The present Plilceop/iai^osoma is very closely allied to the P. corrinu/n 

 (likewise from New Zealand), but it appears to be altogether a little 

 smaller and just appreciably narrower ; and its colour (instead of being 

 deep black) is dark-piceous, with the elytra piceo-castaneous. Its ros- 

 ttum, too, in proportion to its size, is a trifle broader, and obsoletely 



