HISTERIDAE. 615 



indistinct at the middle, between the first and second there is sometimes 

 a short basal stria. Pygidium vertical. 



Antennae implanted just in front of the eyes, basal joint about half of 

 the whole length, gradually but considerably dilated towards the extremity ; 

 the next oblong, thicker but hardly longer than third, 4-8 small ; club 

 densely pubescent, oblong-oval, quite obsoletely articulate, sometimes pale. 



Tibiae setose inwardly, finely spinose externally, about a dozen on the 

 anterior pair, which are rather more curved and expanded than the inter- 

 mediate, the posterior rather slender. 



Underside shining black, minutely punctate. Prosternum finelv mar- 

 gined and grooved and slightly incurved between the coxae, emarginate 

 behind ; chin-piece moderately developed ; antennal cavities deep, situated 

 below the anterior angles. Mesosternum obtusely angulate in the middle 

 in front, minutely crenulate behind. Metasternum large, truncate behind. 

 Basal ventral segment longer than remaining four combined. 



Length, SA mm. ; breadth, 2 mm. 



Stephen Island. Another of Mr. A. C. O'Connor's captures, during 

 September, 1916. 



Group COLYDIIDAE. 



Bitoma Herbst. Man. N.Z. Coleopt., p. 192. 

 4181. Bitoma morosa sp. nov. 



Oblong, moderately convex, without tubercular elevations, opaque ; 

 nigro-fuscous, antennae and legs dark, somewhat rufo-fuscous ; irregularly 

 clothed with depressed, obscure greyish squamifoim setae, the antennae 

 with darker outstanding setae. 



Head immersed up to the large, moderately prominent eyes which extend 

 outwardly almost as far as the anterior angles of the thorax, it is sub- 

 quadrate, shorter than the thorax and somewhat narrowed towards the 

 front, nearly plane above, with obsolete granular sculpture and slightlv 

 elevated antennal tubercles. Thorax of about equal length and breadth, 

 widest behind the middle, more gradually narrowed in front than behind, 

 apex stnmgly bisinuate, with subacute angles, the base rounded and with- 

 out perceptible angles, its sides only very slightly flattened ; disc moderately 

 convex, with a broad irregular channel from the apex towards the base, 

 which is bi-impressed, it is distantly, finely, and indefinitely sculptured. 

 Scutellum subrotundate. Elytra oblong, just double the length of thorax, 

 evidently broader than it is at the base, which is incurved, with obtuse 

 shoulders ; their sculpture consists apparently of serial punctures. 



Antennae shorter than the head and thorax, basal joint partly coi\cealed 

 from above, the next much shorter, equally stout, subrotundate ; third 

 nearly twice as long as broad ; fourth and fifth rather shorter, obconical, 

 sixth to eighth short and subglobular, ninth rather broader, transverse ; 

 tenth twice as large as ninth, also transverse, eleventh smaller and sub- 

 rotundate. 



Tibiae straight, without distinct terminal spines ; basal joint of tarsi 

 rather longer than third, fourth longer than the preceding three united. 



This may be placed near B. distincta (348), which, however, has the sides 

 of the thorax somewhat explanate and the elytral vestiture quite different. 



Length, 2J mm. ; breadth, 1 mm. 



Lake Rotoiti, Nelson. One, found by Mr. T. Hall on the 17th March, 

 1916. 



