SYNCHITIDAE. 687 



surface is also sprinkled with numerous conspicuous erect setae. Under- 

 surface opaque, but without clothing. Tibiae setose externally. 



Grey mouth ; No. 65, Helms. 



" This very remarbable insect I first received from Mr. Reitter, of 

 Vienna ; and, supposing it might go into the genus Syncahts, projjosed 

 to call it Syncalus reitteri. I find, however, it departs much from 

 sijncalus by the more approximate middle and hind legs, and I have 

 therefore called it Acosmetus reitteri, as it agrees tolerably well with the 

 characters assigned by Broun to this generic name. Whether it be really 

 congeneric with Broun 's two species of the genus is doubtful, as I have 

 seen neither of them." 



N.B. — The above description was inadvertently omitted by me in its 

 proper place, and Dr. Sharp probably failed to notice my descriptions 

 of Nos. 340, 341, and 342, together with my notification that I considered 

 these three species represented a distinct genus, which I named Recyntiis. 

 Dr. Sharp referred his species to my genus Acosmelus (Man. N.Z. Coleopt., 

 p. 197). 



In Recyntus the coxae are scarcely more than half as far apart as they 

 are in Syncalus ; the mesosternal process is triangular and subacute (in 

 341 quite acute) between the coxae — that of the metasternum, as well as 

 that of the basal ventral segment, are triangular. 



In Recyntus tuberculatus (340) the second lateral lobe of the thorax 

 does not touch the obliquely narrowed frontal one ; it extends straight 

 outwards in front, is not prolonged backwards at the extremity, but at 

 its base projects backwards so as to form an obvious posterior angle. 

 The shoulders are somewhat elevated ; they extend outwards as far as 

 the thoracic lobes, but, though porrect, are quite distant from the second. 



In R. insignis (341) the second thoracic lobe, at the outside, is in 

 contact with the frontal, and is prolonged backwards so that it almost 

 touches the porrect shoulders of the elytra. 



In Sharp's species, R. reitteri, the humeral angles are almost rect- 

 angular and quite distant externally from the second thoracic lobe, which, 

 at the outside, touches the frontal one. 



The above notes will simplify the identification of these remarkable 

 species. 



Group Aesalidae. 

 Mitophyllus Parry. Trans. Entom. Soc, London, 1845. 



4285. Mitophyllus insignis sp. nov. 



Oblong, moderately convex, subopaque ; nigrescent, with irregular, 

 chiefly straw-coloured vestiture. 



Head fully a third narrower than thorax and, exclusive of mandibles, 

 not half its length, widely emarginate and somewhat depressed in front, 

 with a truncate prominence over the insertion of each antenna not 

 extending outwardly as far as the eye ; closely and moderately coarsely 

 l>unctate, the erect setae longer near the eyes than elsewhere. Thorax 

 about a third broader than long, its slightly crenulate and flattened sides, 

 obliquely narrowed near the rectangular hind angles, more gradually 

 towards the front, its base widely and slightly bisinuate ; the broad 

 slightly convex smooth space along the middle becomes quite narrow in 

 front, its punctation is like that of the head, but there are about four 

 more or less smooth spots on the disc ; the coarse subdepressed setae 



