\\)S COl.KOl'TKHA. 



Mtuiut llutt and liakaia (iorge. Eight si)Ociuieiis ruiiiid aiimngst 

 decaying leaves on the ground during February and May, l\i[2, hy 

 Mr. T. Hall. Some are paler, and in one the .scutellum is invisible; 

 this, liowever, is. I tliink, owing to tlic tlioi-ax being tilted up in front 

 when mounted on eardboard. 



(ironp ( )KnK.M loini' \i;. 

 Metasclera gon. nov. 



Antennae implanted on miniite prominences between, and in line 

 with, the front of tlie eyes, subfiliform; basal joint pyriform, 2nd small 

 and oviform ; 3rd as long as ith, these and the following six about 

 eipially elongate, the tei-minal elongate-oval. Maxillar}' palpi with 

 eultiiform terminal joints. Kyes entire, oval, transverse, moderately 

 prominent. I'^pistome sliort, not distinctly marked off from the fore- 

 liead. Labium transverse. i.,egs slender, posterior femora very slightly 

 chivate; tibiae without distinct terminal spurs, the intermediate 

 tiexuous in both sexes. Tarsi moderately slender, penultinuite joints 

 considerably prolonged underneath. 



The above characters, coTijointly, differentiate this genus from the 

 South American Ci/clof/mis, and the Xew Zealand Techmessa, Ttch- 

 //Kssodes, and Fhytilea. 



3579. Metasclera nigricans sp. nov. 



Subdejircssed, elongate, slendei', moderately nitid; nigieseent, 

 antennae and legs fuscous, pal})i and tarsi fusco-testaceous; sparingly 

 clothed witli distinct, short, suberect, whitish hairs, and also bearing 

 some upright, slender, elongate setae. 



Head short, broader than the thorax, widest in line with the eyes, 

 niuch narroAved behind ; moderately coarsely and closely punctured, less 

 closely on the veitex. I'horax truncate at the base and apex, sometimes 

 longer than broad, in other examples subquadrate, a little constricted 

 before the middle; its punctation not close but moderately coarse; at 

 cacli side in front there is a subrotundate impression, a transverse one 

 near the l)ase, and an elongate one along the mi(hlle, none, howevei', are 

 sharply defined. Scutellum oblojig. Elytra tlirice the lengtli of tlie 

 thorax and about a third broader, sul)parallel, rounded l)ehind; more 

 coarsely punctured than thr thorax, more finely behind. 



Legs finelv pid)eseent ; the tilnae more distinctly neai- the apices, 

 the intermediate i)air l)ent inwardly neai- the extremity. 



Antennae more tlian half the length of the body, with distinct dai-k 

 jtubcscence. 



Underside I)laekish ; the abdonu'ii tinely punetate, tlie metasteiiuim 

 nioi'e coarsely and witii a \wll-marked median depression bejiind. 

 Structural details similai- to those of Techmessa. 



licngth, 2i mm. ; bre;idth, 5 mm. 



Ardagli and McClennan's Bush, leai' .Methveii. Nearly a dozen 

 specimens of this unattractive, fragile insi'ct were found by Mr. T. Hall 

 during the early part <d' 1912. 



3580. Metasclera arborea sp. nov. 



Elongate, sul)depi-es<ed, moderati'ly clost'ly and coarsely punctate 

 throughout, nitid; nigrescent; antennae, i>alpi. and legs fuseous ; thinly 

 covered with ine ins])ieiious, slendi'r, d'.cumbent ashy pubescence. 



