628 COLEOPTERA. 



deeply emarginate, with contiguous coxae, the intermediate pair mode- 

 rately ; posterior widely separated. Metasterniim short. Basal segment of 

 abdomen truncate in front, slightly longer than second, their suture sub- 

 angulate in the middle ; third and fourth together rather longer than 

 second or fifth. Mentum large, narrowed backward", fiUing the buccal 

 cavity. Palpi nearly invisible 



Mandibular scar distinct. Ocular lobes moderately developed. Scrobes 

 oblong, deep, subapical, quite visible above. Posterior corbels not dis- 

 tinctly cavernous. 



The rather brightly coloured vestiture and the peculiar rostrum, taken 

 together, distinguish this species from others in my collection. In Dr. 

 Sharp's species, 2117 and 2118, the third elytra] interstices project over the 

 base of the thorax, the others described by him are sufficiently distinct 

 from B. )iodirostris. The members of this genus and Catoptes are hardly 

 separable in many instances. 



Length (rostrum inclusive), 4^ n\m. ; breadth, If mm. 



Stephen Island. A single specimen, found by Mr. A. C. O'Connor on 

 the 15th May, 1916. 



4201. Brachyolus obscurus sp. nov. 



Oblong, nearly plane above, opaque ; picoous, antennae and tarsi fusco- 

 rufous ; densely covered with depressed, small, chiefly pale greyish-brown 

 squamae, and a few scattered grey ones, on the thorax some elongate, 

 depressed blackish ones can be seen, on the elytral suture the scales are 

 coppery, just below the summit of the posterior declivity there are generally 

 two dark patches ; there are no erect setae. 



Rostrum quite half the length of thorax, slightly dilated in front. 

 Thorax slightly broader than long, a little wider near the front than else- 

 where ; sometimes slightly uneven, with a shallow impression along the 

 middle which becomes deeper at the base, the punctation completely hidden. 

 Scutellum small. Elytra oblong, twice the length of thorax, widely in- 

 curved and slightly broader than thorax at the base, a Kttle wider near 

 the middle, obliquely narrowed and subvertical behind ; moderately finely 

 and rather irregularly seriate-punctate ; fifth interstices indistinctly elevated, 

 ending abruptly, somewhat thickened but not elevated on top of the 

 declivity. 



Antennae with pale fuscous setae ; scape dull, straight, gradually 

 incrassate . 



Underside densely covered with infuscate-grey, depressed scales and 

 paler setae. Basal ventral segment subtruncate in front. » 



In form and structural details very similar to B. nodirostris, but differing 

 greatly therefrom in appearance and sculpture, and with the rostrum 

 simple. 



Length (rostrum inclusive), i^ mm. ; breadth, If mm. 



Tauherenikau Bush, near Featherston. Three specimens, obtained bv 

 Mr. T. Hall ; 5tli September, 1916. 



Inophloeus Pascoe. Man. N.Z. Coleopt., p. 439. 



4202. Inophloeus cuprellus sp. nov. 



Elongate, slightly convex, opaque ; nigro-fuscous, legs and antennae 

 rufo-piceous ; densely covered with small, flat, pale-coppery squamae, the 

 posterior declivity with rougher tawny vestiture ; the setae mostly greyish 



