OF NEW ZEALAND. 1403 



the basal joint twice the length of the second, 3-5 slender, the third 

 elongate and thickened near the extremity, fourth and tifth short ; 

 club laxly articulated, the terminal joint larger than the seventh. 

 Mentnm large, transversely quadrate, emarginate in front. Proster- 

 num medially convex, but not at all carinate, in front of the coxae. 

 'Mesosternum ridged along the middle, its process abruptly raised to 

 the level of the co\se ; these latter separated by a thin lamina. 

 ^letasternuiii, with a slight triangular projection in front ; its central 

 portion obtusely elevated. Posterior coxce distinctly, yet not widely, 

 separated. Abdomen with five nearly equal segments, the sculpture 

 minute and obsolete. Epipleiirce simple, becoming linear behind. 

 Femora finely punctate and pubescent. TibUv finely spinose exter- 

 nally, the anterior with two curved apical spurs. Tarsi pubescent, 

 the basal joint of the posterior nearly as long as the second. Claws 

 small and slender. 



The nearest ally is Cyloma. It has, however, a differently- 

 formed mesosternal lamina, the prosternum less deeply emarginate 

 in front, and more obvious sculpture and pubescence on its lower 

 surface, &c. 



2446. P. signatus, vi.-s-. Oblojuj-ocal, convex, shining, sparsely 

 clothed with minute, extremely indistinct, brassy hairs ; piceo- 

 fuscous, sides of head and thorax sordid- testaceous, elytra with 

 many, mostly elongate, pallid or testaceous spots, most closely con- 

 gregated near the base and apex ; legs more or less testaceous, 

 extremity of femora and the outside of the tibite fuscous ; antennae 

 similarly variegated, club fuscous, opaque, with dense minute 

 pubescence. 



Head closely, distinctly, but not coarsely punctured. Tliorax 

 strongly transverse, the apex finely margined, and widely but not 

 deeply sinuate near each side ; front angles obtuse , the sides mar- 

 gined, gradually narrowed towards the front, the posterior angles 

 nearly rectangular ; its punctuation not quite so close as that of the 

 head, but becoming a little coarser at the sides. Scutellum triangular, 

 minutely punctured. Elytra punctate-striate behind and along the 

 sides, towards the base the sculpture assumes the form of series of 

 closely-placed, moderate-sized punctures ; interstices rather flat, 

 with minute punctures, but rather more convex and nearly smooth 

 behind ; the lateral margins are not explanate. Tibice stout, gradu- 

 ally expanded, finely spinose, the lower calcar of the posterior as 

 long as the basal joint of the tarsus. 



Underside pitchy-brown, the raised central portion of the m eta- 

 sternum more shining and less densely sculptured and pubescent than 

 the sides ; on each segment of the abdomen, near the side, there is 

 a slight depression, wuth adjacent extremely minute greyish pubes- 

 cence, giving a silky appearance there. 



Length, If lines; breadth, f line. 



Hunua Range, near Maketu. Found on the ground amongst 

 decaying leaves ; four individuals. 



