486 FAUNA HAWAIIENSIS 



(21) Nesopeplus obsciirans, sp. nov. 



? Sat elongatus, subtile pubescens, prothorace fusco-testaceo, lateribus testaceis, 

 antennis pedibusque fusco-testaceis, abdomine elytrisque nigricantibus, his testaceo- 

 notatis ; prothorace transverse, antrorsum conspicue angustato, basin versus parum 

 angustato, angulis posterioribus argutis ; elytris seriatim punctatis. Pygidium longum, 

 apicem versus conspicue attenuatum, ad apicem rotundatum. Long. corp. 2y\ mm. 



A single female specimen is distinguished by the curious form of the prothorax and 

 the pygidium. The prothorax is conspicuously transverse, strongly narrowed in front 

 and slightly towards the base, with sides rounded and explanate posteriorly, the disc 

 fairly closely punctured. The specimen does not seem to be clearly allied to any other 

 species. 



Hab. Molokai (Perkins). H. S. 



(22) Nesopeplus protinoides. Sharp. 



Brachypeplus protinoides Sharp, Tr. ent. Soc. London, 1879, p. 85. 



This form was described from a single female, and with this original type was a 

 male considered by Mr Blackburn to be ot the same species. The type was from Maui, 

 but we have now three specimens from Molokai, which, though varying somewhat from 

 the type and from one another, appear inseparable from N. protinoides. 



The thorax is rather long in proportion to its breadth, slightly narrowed in front, 

 with sides slightly rounded and explanate towards the base, hind angles obtuse but 

 definite, and a very obsolete impression on the posterior part of the disc. The punctures 

 are somewhat distant, but in the female sex rather less so than is the case in 

 A^. laiiusciilus; the latter also is a smaller insect, and has the thorax rather more 

 explanate at the sides, and its lateral margins sinuate towards the base. Our specimens 

 of N. protinoides have more or less definite testaceous patches on the elytra; the type 

 specimen was of somewhat lighter colour altogether. Length, circa 35 mm. 



The female pygidium is almost truncate, with rounded angles, and a median apical 

 depression which in our specimens is so marked that the sclerite appears emarginate. 

 The male pygidium has a conspicuous notch, with a prominent tooth on either side, and 

 the margins very .slightly serrate; last ventral segment emarginate; supplementary 

 segment slightly emarginate. Mr Blackburn's male specimen has the notch less deep, 

 and differs slightly also in the shape of the prothorax. Description is very unsatis- 

 factory, owing to smallness of the material. 



Hab. Maui, Molokai. — Maui; the type $ was from flowers of the Koa tree, 

 Haleakala, 5000 ft. (Blackburn). — Molokai, 2 % and i ^, "above 3000 ft.," and 

 "Kahanui" nos. 177 and 153; (Perkins). Blackburn's t bears no record of locality. 

 H. S. 



