RHYPAROSOMIDAE. 441 



The discal sculpture of the thorax and the distinct suture between the 

 1st and 2nd ventral segments are its principal distinguishing features. 



Length (rostrum inclusive), 2| mm. ; breadth, | mm. 



ScarcHflt, near Mount Algidus. Half a dozen males and two females 

 taken from cotton-plants, at an elevation of 2,000 ft., by Mi'. T. Hall on 

 the 19th October. 1913. This is the first South Island species of the genus. 



3923. Rystheus notabilis sp. nov. Ryfithexs Broun, Man. N.Z. Coleopt., 

 p. 1218. 

 Elongate, subcylindric, a little depressed towards the middle, slightly 

 nitid ; castaneo-rufous, the posterior declivity, sides, and an irregular 

 space along the middle of the hind-body more or less piceo-fuscous, rostrum 

 piceo-rufous ; thinly clothed with decumbent, fine, fulvescent setae, but 

 quite densely across the hind part of the posterior nodosities, the setae 

 on the thoracic apex much coarser and closer than on the disc. 



Rostrum strongly arched, rather longer than thorax, very slightly ex- 

 panded and flattened and finely punctate in front, coarsely and subseriately 

 punctured, and obsoletely and irregularly tricarinate behind. Head immersed 

 up to the eyes, gradually narrowed to the same width as the rostrum, nearly 

 smooth, with an oblong fovea behind. Eyes almost flat, obliquely oval, 

 quite hyaline. Thorax a little longer than broad, slightly wider before 

 the middle than elsewhere ; with a pair of obtuse medial nodosities, the 

 sculpture granular there, but moderately coarsely and distantly punctured 

 behind, the anterior sculpture distant and less definite ; a shallow central 

 channel extends from base to apex. Elytra of the same width as thorax 

 at the base, which is medially emarginate and depressed, thus leaving a 

 small gap between them and the truncate base of the thorax, they are 

 abruptly vertical behind, the sides less so ; the sides have series of distinct 

 distant punctures, but along the middle the sculpture is more or less irregu- 

 larly granular ; there is a pair of moderate nodosities in line with the hind 

 thighs and a less distinct pair before the middle, the pair on the summit 

 of the declivity are prominent and conspicuous, on the hind face there are 

 several unequal granules. 



Scape implanted before the middle of the rostrum, slightly flexuous, 

 slender, clavate at the extremity ; funiculus stouter, its 2nd joint longer 

 than the 1st, joints 3-6 subquadrate, 7th rather larger ; club oblong-oval, 

 densely pubescent, obsoletely articulate. 



Legs elongate, femora arched above, the front pair rather longer i han 

 the others ; tibiae slightly flexuous. minutely serrate inwardly, distinctly 

 mucronate at the extremity. 



Underside with depressed yellowish setae. Prosternum light castaneous, 

 coarsely and distantly punctate. Abdomen fusco-testaceous, nearly plane, 

 indistinctly sculptured, its segments with straight sutures, the basal seg- 

 ment much larger than the metasternum, obtusely angulate between the 

 coxae. 2nd nearly as long as 3rd and 4th combined, 5tli rather longer than 

 2nd. Epipleurae quite linear. 



This remarkable insect is more robust than A', ocnlarins (2148), the 

 type of the genus, which latter has altogether different sculpture, its front 

 legs are relatively longer, and their tibiae are more curvate externally, and 

 the 2nd joint of the funicle is more slender and elongate. 



Length (rostrum exclusive), 5i mm. ; breadth, nearly 2 mm. 



Hollvford, near Routeburn. Two obtained from leaf-mould <>n the 

 19th February, 1914, by Mr. T. Hall. 



