SHarp—On New Zealand Coleoptera, 359 
median channel; touching the lateral margin at its point of constriction there is a 
small deep fovea not extending to the base, the hind margin distinctly emarginate 
in the middle; elytra elongate, near the sides with deep, coarse, regular fovez, 
but more than half the surface is smooth. 
A single female was sent by Helms as No. 383; it was captured at Ahoura, near 
Greymouth, in 1884. 
This is probably the most remarkable Carabideous insect yet discovered in New Zealand, and will 
be readily distinguished by the peculiar sculpture of the wing cases. 
Mecodema rugiceps, n. sp.—Parum latum, nigrum, capite thoraceque profunde 
rugosis, hoc lateribus crenatis, elytris ubique subequaliter variolosis. Long. 21 m.m, 
(Plate xu, fig. 2.) 
Head with very prominent eyes, which are placed rather nearer to the thoracic 
margin than they are in M. sculpturatum, the surface bearing deep, coarse rugee, 
which are distant on the disc, denser on the vertex, where also they are chiefly 
transverse in their direction, and appear to a certain extent to consist of enlarged 
punctures ; thorax rather flat, the length nearly seven-eighths of the greatest width, 
the sides rounded, much constricted behind, the hind angles rectangular, the base 
truncate, the lateral margin numerously interrupted, with about eight intra- 
marginal tactile setee on each side, the surface evenly covered with deep, quite 
uninterrupted transverse lines, and bearing a longitudinal channel which does not 
quite attain the front or the hind margin; close to both these margins there are 
short, longitudinal plice; there is a small impression at the point of constriction 
on each side, not attaining the base. Elytra regularly covered with impressions 
placed in series, deep at the sides, more shallow towards the suture; legs black ; 
middle tibize very asperate externally. 
* None of the descriptions of other species at all accord with the sculpture of this insect, of which 
three examples were found by Helms near Bealey, in 1884. 
Mecodema metallicum, n. sp.—Angustulum, nigro-piceum, supra seneum, 
antennis pedibusque piceis, femoribus rufis; capite subrugoso, vertice latius 
punctato; prothorace elongato, leteribus obsolete crenatis, dorso parum profunde 
transversim rugoso ; elytris ubique subequaliter variolosis. Long. 18 m.m. 
Antenne and palpi dark red; head very irregularly rugose, the rugz not 
elongate or very definite, the vertex coarsely punctate. Thorax elongate, very 
nearly as long as broad, with a channel on the middle becoming obsolete before 
attaining the front margin, the surface with rather distant coarse, but not deeply 
impressed, transverse rug; the base has distinct longitudinal plicz ; the sides are 
but little rounded, but are narrowed behind, and sinuate so as to form a rather 
well-marked contraction close to the base; the base is a little emarginate in the 
middle, and the hind angles rather obtuse; at the point of contraction there is a 
TRANS. ROY. DUB. SOC., N.S. VOL. III. BG 
