1098 COLEOPTEEA 



large, is occupied in the middle by <a deep groove, with raised edges 

 for the support of the prosternal process, and on either side of this 

 with a curved ridge to complete the enclosure of the front coxae.. The 

 metasternum is rather short, and its sidepieces are scarcely visible ; 

 the hind coxae are about as widely separated as those of the front 

 and middle legs, they are transversely conical ; the legs are small, 

 the tibiae feeble, unarmed, without apical spurs. The tarsi are ter- 

 minated by two rather large simple claws ; there is very little 

 difference between the front and hind feet. The ventral sutures are 

 all deep, and the basal segment along the middle is nearl}' as long 

 as the three following together, these being quite short. 



This insect has been recently examined by some skilful entomo- 

 logists, who concluded they could only find four joints to the tarsi. 

 I may therefore state that the description given by me of the trophii 

 and feet of P. tlioraclcus was made from a dissection mounted in 

 Canada balsam, and is undoubtedly correct, as a fresh examination 

 of the preparation, so far as regards the feefc, has been made by my- 

 self and the Rev. H. S. Gorham. — (Notes added during press.) 



1952. P. thoracicUS, "-s- {Sharp; Trans. Roy. Duh. Soc, 

 1886, p. 395.) Brevissime avails, testaceo-ferrugineus, politus, glaber, 

 capite porrecto transversim post antennas subrugoso ; prothorace 

 magno, omnium latissime marginato, angulis posterioribus pro- 

 longatis. 



Long., l^mm. 



The peculiar thorax, with its remarkable broad flat margin, will 

 at a glance permit the identification of this species. The elytra are 

 convex, very short in proportion to the thorax, very completely 

 covering the undersurface ; the scutellum is scarcely visible, the 

 base of the thorax being transversely depressed, and a little pro- 

 longed, so that only a very minute tip of the scutellum is exposed ; 

 there are no wings. 



Bealey. Helms; half a dozen examples. Though amongst the 

 most minute of the New Zealand Coleoptera, it is certainly one of the 

 inost peculiar. 



1953. P. sanguineus, n-s. Oblong-oval, compact, convex, 

 medially depressed, shining ; blood-red, legs rufo-fulvous ; sparingly 

 clothed with a few short, slender, upright, pallid hairs. 



Head exserted, with a few comparatively well-marked distant 

 punctures, plane in front, depressed towards the eyes ; these coarsely 

 facetted and prominent. AntenntB stout, elongate ; basal two joints 

 similar in form, first larger ; third quite as long as second, evidently 

 longer than the following ones ; ninth broader than eighth; club 

 abruptly biarticulate ; tenth joint strongly transverse, broader than 

 rounded terminal one. Thorax geutl}' rounded and narrowed towards 

 the front, very finely and remotely punctured ; lateral margins 

 broad and fiat, narrower in front than behind, with an obvious 

 channel along the inner side of each ; base depressed, its angles pro- 

 longed backwards and resting on the shoulders. Scntellum narrow. 



