272 COl.KUl'TEKA. 



the terminal segment transversely strigose and (luadiipunrtatp at the 

 extremity. 



Antennae shorter than the head and thorax, finely pubescent tVom their 

 5th joint onwards. Front and middle tibiae only moderately, the posterior 

 not at all prominent at the extremity, the intermediate somewhat dilated 

 inwardly below the middle and asperate externally. 



In Sharp's M. nigiceps, 1759, which is not repi'esented in my collection, 

 the thoracic disc is " evenly covered with deep, quite uninterrupted trans- 

 verse lines.'' M. nitidmii, 2597, is smaller and more brilliant, witli finer and 

 much less dense sculpture on the head and thorax, and the intermediate 

 tibiae instead of being dilated inwardly are nearly (|uite straight there. 

 Tliese are the nearest species. 



S- Length, 19| mm. ; l)readth, 6 mm. 



Lake Mackenzie, Otago. Described from one exam])le found bv Mr. 

 M. 0. Pasco, of Queenstown, on the 3rd November, 1912. 



3682. Mecodema ambiguum sp. uov. 



Elongate, somewhat attenuate behind, nitid ; black, legs and antennae 

 piceous, tips of palpi rufescent. 



Head rather narrower thaii thoracic apex, without definite fioutal or 

 interocular rugae, moderately finely punctured behind. Thorax hardly a 

 sixth broader than long, base feebly, the apex more widely but not at all 

 deeply emarginate ; its sides not cienulate, gently I'ounded in front, more 

 curvedly narrowed behind the middle, the base much contracted and straight- 

 sided, lateral channels nanow and of almost equal width tliroughout, with 

 several setigerous punctures ; disc very slightly convex, smooth, with a 

 simple shallow impression near each anterior angle, basal fossae moderately 

 large and deep, the central groove well marked but not reaching the base 

 or apex. Elytra oblong-oval, about a sixth broader than thorax, nearly 

 twice its length, a good deal curvedly narrowed near the extremity : with 

 slightly impressed and finely punctured striae and almost plane interstices 

 on the middle ; 6th and 7th striae deeper, their punctures moderately 

 coarse and subcpiadrate, with convex interstices, 8th striae rather shallow, 

 their punctation a little finer ; the common broad lateral space on each 

 is smooth, marginal channels distinctly punctate, the apical sculpture 

 irregular. 



Legs normal, front and middle tibiae moderately prominent at the 

 outer extremity, the latter pair somewhat asperate, the posterior simple. 

 Antennae pubescent from the 5th joint onwards. 



Underside glossy black, flanks of prosternum moderately punctate but 

 without rugae ; terminal ventral segment bipunctate at each side of the 

 apex. 



Castelnau's M. iiiipressifni, 16, is described as having the anterior angles 

 of the thorax covered with a dense punctation. M. laevicolle, 3166, from 

 Bold Peak, is smaller and more glossy, the elytra are broader behind, the 

 4 or 5 inner striae on each are indefinite, obsolete at the base, the 7th and 

 8th interstices are scarcely at all carinate, and the prosternum is rugose ; 

 with these exceptions, it is certainly very similar. The common frontal 

 longitudinal striae, as well as the interocular ones, are absent ; this forms 

 another aid to identification. 



o. Lei\gth (mi'.ndil)les inclusive), 25 riuii. ; brerdth, 7.] inni. 



Ben Lomond. Otago. One from Mr. .\. Philpott. found earlv in 

 December, 1912. 



