352 COLKOPTKRA. 



Legs and antoniiao and the setigcious puDcturps on the head similar 

 to those of M . laterale. 



Underside shining, moderately finely but not closely punctate near the 

 sides of the stenunn and basal abdoniinnl segment, terminal segment qnadri- 

 pimctate at the apex. 



M. costellum (2595), from Stephen Island, is of about equal size ; in it, 

 however, the scvdpture of the head and thorax is very different, the elytral 

 costae are much less elevated and almost linear, and the interstices are 

 distinctly, closely, and irregularly punctured. 



M. costi/peune (3388) is obviously less elongate, the sculpture of the 

 Jiead and thorax is dissimilar, the sides of the latter are almost regularly 

 curvedly narrowed backwards so that the basal angles are almost obsolete, 

 and the punctation of the elytral interstices more nearly resembles that of 

 M. costelhini. 



Length, 36 mm. ; breadth, 1 1 mm. 



Mount Dick, Lake Wakatipu. One found on the 1 Ith March, 1914, 

 by Mr. T. Hall, who shares my pleasure in being able to name this hand- 

 some insect in hoiu)ur of Professor Charles Chilton. 



3786. Mecodema politanum sp. nov. 



Oblong, slightly convex ; very brilliant black, antennae, tarsi, and palpi 

 piceous, these last paler at the extremity. 



Head, including the prominent eyes, as broad as the front of thorax, 

 almost quite smooth, having only a few minute scattered pimctures behind ; 

 there are no interocular rugae, and only a single broad groove on each 

 side of the foiehead ; when under a powerful lens many minute punctures 

 may be detected. Thorax of almost equal length and breadth, Avidely 

 but not deeply incui'ved in front, base subtruncate ; sides fuiely crenulate, 

 gently curved, distinctly narrowed behind the middle, deeply sinuate near 

 the base, with subacute prominent angles ; disc apparently smooth, with 

 some very short basal striae, a slight impression near each anterior angle, 

 and the common abbreviated discal groove, basal fossae deep, neither 

 lotundate nor very elongate. Elytra oblong-oval, rathei- broadei' than 

 thorax, not thrice its length, nearly as broad behind as at the middle ; on 

 each there are 5 series of slight slender punctures, these become striae 

 l)ehind but obsolete at the base, 6th series rather more distinct and deeper 

 and separated from the 7th by the subcostate interval, the 7th and 8tli 

 form somewhat irregular but distinctly though not very coarsely punctured 

 striae ; the side is smooth above but has some coarse distai^t pmictures 

 below, the apical sculpture is irregular and coarsely punctiform : the dorsal 

 interstices arc ])lan(\ ])iit the 7th has 3 or 4 very coiis])icuous punctiform 

 impressions. 



Legs stout, posterior tibiae simple, the others piominent at the outer 

 extremity. Last 6 joiiits of antennae ob\nously pubescent. 



Underside glossy, nearly smooth, ha^^ng only a few fine shallo\\- 

 punctures, last segment of abdomen with fine transverse wrinkles and 

 (juadripimctate at apex. Mentum obtusely convex in the middle with a 

 deep frontal pm\cture, but not distinctly bifid there. 



Readily distinguishable from M. laevicolle (3166) by its broader form, 

 very biilliant surface, finely crenulate sides, and ])rominent basal angles 

 of the thorax, and different elytral sculpture ; and from M. ambigxum 

 (3682) by its lustic. deeply sinuate sides and ])rominent posterior angles of 



