688 COLEOPTERA. 



are irregularly disposed and become more squaniiform and closer near the 

 sides. Scuteilum oblong, rounded behind, closely punctate. Elytra oblong, 

 almost double the length of thorax, rather broader than it is, widely 

 incurved at the base ; their punctures not quite as close as those of the 

 head and many apparently filled with depressed squamae, the sub- 

 depressed setae are shorter and more rufescent than those on the thorax 

 and are most numerous behind the middle, on each elytron there are also 

 over a dozen small patches of pale setiform squamae. 



Mandibles quite a half longer than the head, widely distant at the 

 base, unevenly curved, their basal lialf thickened but not distinctly 

 dentiform externally ; each bidentate at the extremity, the lower tooth 

 horizontal, the upper rather longer and almost upright, just behind each 

 of the latter there is another longer but thicker and elevated prominence 

 on the inside which is almost bidentate. 



Underside nitid, black, moderately coarsely and closely punctate, and 

 bearing coarse, rather short, greyish setae. 



This most nearly resembles M. cristatelhis (3848), but the mandibles 

 are entirely different, and the general punctation is coarser. 



cJ. Length (mandibles included), 11 mm. ; breadth, 4| mm. 



Gordon's Pyramid, Nelson. A solitary male sent for examination by 

 Mr. A. C. O'Connor, who found another in January, 1918, at a height 

 of 4,000 ft. 



Group Cleridae. 

 Phymatophaea Pascoe. Man. N.Z. Coleopt., p. 334. 



4286. Phymatophaea hudsoni sp. nov. 



Elongate, sUghtly convex, nitid, bearing many erect, slender greyish 

 hairs ; of a peculiar violaceous-coppery hue, the head, the thorax behind 

 the middle, and the lateral prominences of an infuscate red ; each elytron, 

 just before the hind thigh, with a large coarsely punctate yellow spot 

 not reaching the outer margin or suture ; palpi and antennae flavescent, 

 but with the apical portion of each joint of the club fuscous ; legs also 

 variegate, the basal portion of the femora and tibiae, and the first tarsal 

 joint testaceous, the remaining parts infuscate. 



Head finely and irregularly punctate ; eyes prominent. Thorax of about 

 equal length and breadth, obviously dilated at each side behind the 

 middle ; smooth along the middle, its sides closely sculptured, with 

 elongate impressions and punctures. Scuteilum short, its sides punctate. 

 Elytra a third broader than thorax, nearly four times its length ; each 

 obtusely elevated alongside the suture near the base, moderately coarsely 

 subseriate-punctate to beyond the hind thighs, smooth behind. 



Antennae half the length of the body, finely pubescent, basal joint 

 stout, scarcely double the length of the next, 3-5 about equally elongate, 

 6 and 7 rather shorter, 8 subquadrate ; club two-thirds of their whole 

 length, its joints successively decreasing. 



The nearest species, P. fulvipalpis (613), is little more than half as large, 

 its head is closely punctate, the thorax is a third longer than broad, and 

 the coloration is materially different. 



Length, 6 mm. ; breadth, 2 mm. 



Karori, Wellington. A single specimen found on the 21st March, 

 1917, by Mr. G. V. Hudson. 



