270 cor.EOPTEHA. 



Group Cnemacanthidae. 



3679. Mecodema halli sp. uov. Mecodema Blaiuluird, Mun. N.Z. 



Coleopt., p. 7. 



Subdepressed, moderately broad ; glossy black, legs, antennae, and 

 mandibles piceo-rufous. 



Head, eyes included, almost as broad as thorax, with deep rugae on the 

 forehead, almost unimpressed elsewhere, but with the usual setigerous punc- 

 tures near each eye ; labrum medially emarginate. Thorax widest near the 

 front, curvedly narrowed backwards, more so behind, the base with almost 

 straight sides ; lateral margins entire, the channels only slightly broader in 

 front than behind, with several setigerous punctures ; it is only a sixth 

 broader than long, almost smooth, having only a few short, rather tine, 

 longitudinal striae at the base, which, like the apex, is only slightly 

 emarginate, median groove narrow, not attaining the base or apex, basal 

 f oveae deep and subrotundate. Elytra oblong-oval, widest near the posterior 

 femora, gently narrowed towards the base, rather broader there than the 

 thorax, 2| times its length ; their striae regular and distinct, deeper and 

 broader near the sides, moderately coarsely punctured there, rather finely 

 near the suture ; interstices almost plane, the outer ones more convex, 3rd 

 and 5th slightly wider than the others, the 7th sometimes tripunctate near 

 the base, the common lateral space smooth, apical sculpture less regular and 

 coarser. 



Posterior tibiae simple, the others moderately prominent at the outer 

 angles, the intermediate asperate. Antennae pubescent from their 5th joint 

 onwards. 



Underside shining black, nearly smooth, the terminal ventral segment 

 quadripunctate at the apex. 



In size and appearance this most nearly resembles M. cognatuin, 2603, 

 but it is rather broader, the thorax is differently formed, with broader 

 lateral channels, deeper and more rotundate basal fossae, more distinctly 

 punctate-striate elytra, and with 4 instead of 6 punctures on the extremity 

 of the last ventral segment. 



Length, 24-25 mm. ; breadth, 8-8| mm. 



Mount Hutt, near Methven. Named in honour of Mr. T. Hall, who 

 found his first specimen on the 10th January, 1913, at an elevation of 

 3,500 ft. ; two or three more were obtained on other occasions at 4,500 ft. 



3680. Mecodema huttense sp. nov. 



Elongate, moderately nitid ; black, tarsi, antennae, and palpi piceous, 

 these last with rufescent tips. 



Head rather narrower than thorax, distinctly punctured behind the eyes, 

 and with some finer punctures on the vertex, forehead with longitudinal 

 rugae, those near the eyes somewhat curved. Thorax about a fourth 

 broader than long, its sides indistinctly crenulate, only slightly rounded, 

 gradually narrowed behind the middle, more strongly but not abruptly near 

 the base, where its sides are nearly straight, the rounded anterioi- angles are 

 a little explanate, the base and apex feebly emarginate and with short longi- 

 tudinal striae ; disc without obvious transverse striae, central groove marked 

 but scarcely reaching the base or apex, basal fossae deep, extending to the 

 sides and basal margin, there are several distinct punctures near the fossae 

 but only a few on the intervening space, the front and sides are distantly, 

 the anterior angles more closely punctate. Elytra oblong-oval, double the 



