OF NEW ZEALAND. 64 1 



the three apical joints, though larger than the preceding ones, can 

 scarcely be called a club ; the form of the head and the insertion of the 

 antennte are as in Triplax russica, except that the width is not so great 

 and the length is greater ; the facets of the eyes are even coarser than in 

 Cryptophagus. The apical joints of the palpi are dilated, that of the 

 maxillary ones being hatchet-shaped. The structure of the prothorax 

 and its relations to the mesothorax are but little different from Triplax, 

 the space separating the coxse is broad, especially in relation to the width 

 of the body ; the prosternal process is not margined at the sides, except 

 in an obsolete manner. The tarsi are all five-jointed, and not flattened, 

 being narrower than in Triplax, but not so slender as in Dacne, the 

 three basal joints are sub-equal, the fourth, though smaller than the 

 others, is quite distinct, and the fifth joint is large, being as long as the 

 four others together ; the structure of the tarsi is in fact just intermediate 

 between Triplax russica and Dacne californica. 



The insect may at present be classed among the Erotylidce, though 

 as it introduces into that family the antennte of Cryptophagus, it tends 

 to complete the union of Erotylidce and Cryptophagidce. 



The chief characters by which it departs from Triplax are the less 

 clavate antennas, the very coarsely facetted eyes, and the decidedly 

 pentamerous tarsi. 



1 122. O. synthetica,^//^?;^; Ent.Mon. Mag., Sept., 1878,/. 82. 

 Sub-oblonga, convexa, nitida, subglabra, fusco-ferruginea, elytrorum hume- 

 ris apiceque ferrugineis, pedibus testaceis, antennis robustis, pilosellis, 

 ferrugineis ; prothorace elongato, sub-tiuadrato, parcius sat fortiter punc- 

 tato ; elytris parcius subtiliter seriatim punctatis. 



Long., 4I-5 mm ; lat., 2 mm. 



Antennce robust, about as long as head and thorax, formed as in 

 Cryptophagus ; eyes convex, and with very coarse facets ; front part of 

 head much produced beyond insertion of antennae. Thorax large, not 

 quite so long as broad, the front margin depressed-emarginate on each 

 side beyond the eyes, the sides nearly straight but slightly narrowed 

 behind, the hind angles well marked and rectangular, the surface with 

 distant but distinct punctures, which bear very short hairs. Scutellu/n 

 moderately large impunctate. Elytra with series of fine, distant punc- 

 tures, which bear excessively sl\ort set?e. Legs rather long. 



The facies of this species is quite in accordance with its structural 

 characters, for it suggests at a glance a relationship with Dacne, Crypto- 

 phagus and Triplax. 



I have received two specimens from Capt. Broun, and am informed 

 that he found about a dozen individuals of the species in fungus, at 

 Tairua. I see no characters to inform me of the sex of the indi\iduals. 



1 1 23. C. lenis, /^.-y. Very mucli like C j;>v////e'//V<r, but quite dis- 

 tinct ; the head has a smooth inter-antennal depression ; the prothorax is 

 widest behind the middle, and a little narrowed anteriorly, its broad 

 dorsal line is quite free from impressions of any kind, and its punctation 

 is rather less coarse, but closer, than that of C. synthctica ; the elytra 



I iv 



