SHarp—On New Zealand Coleoptera. 373 
excision of the mentum shallow, not toothed. Antenne with the three basal joints 
glabrous, the third joint being, however, feebly pubescent above. Head with two 
orbital sete. Thorax margined laterally, with two lateral sete, normally placed ; 
closely applied to the base of the elytra. Epipleura oblique, grooved near the 
apex. Metasternum very small. Male anterior tarsi with three joints feebly di- 
lated and furnished beneath with squame. 
The insect for which this genus is established has quite the appearance of a 
small Pterostichus, but will be very readily identified by the peculiar palpi and 
labrum. It should, I think, be placed near Cyclothorax and Tarastethus. The 
former genus is at present placed by systematists in the Anchomenini, but it must 
be removed from thence, as the epipleurz are traversed near the apex by a slender 
deep grove, as in the present genus. Tropopterus should be removed from the New 
Zealand list, and its species placed in Tarastethus. These obscure New Zealand 
genera are of rather difficult classification, and will perhaps ultimately form a dis- 
tinct tribe near the Pterostichini and Trechini. 
Sympiestus syntheticus, n. sp.—Subparallelus, niger, antennis rufis, articulo 
basali pedibusque piceis; prothorace subquadrato, basi utrinque fovea elongata 
sulciforme ; elytris parum profunde striatis, striis conspicue punctatis. Long. 
63 mm. (Plate xu, fig. 10.) 
Antenne rather short ; basal joint stout, darker than the others; second joint 
short, not half the length of the first; third greatly longer than the second, equal 
to the fourth. Head narrow, with small but convex eyes, and two large depres- 
sions in front. Thorax elongate, but a good deal shorter than broad ; the sides 
finely marginate, a little narrowed and sinuate behind ; hind angles nearly rect- 
angular, a little obtuse, the base slightly broader than the front margin; the sur- 
face very shining, with a median channel starting from the base, but not reaching 
the front; base impunctate, with a rather elongate canalicular fovea half-way 
between the channel and the side. Exposed portion of scutellum broad, extremely 
short. Elytra with the posterior line of basal margin reaching only as far inwards 
as the fourth stria. Their surface is rather dull, and the two or three strize towards 
the side are almost obliterated. There is no raised apical plica. 
Bealey. Helms, three examples. 
'TARASTETHUS. 
Tarastethus debilis, n. sp.—Piceus, antennis pedibusque testaceis; prothorace 
basi punctato, angulis posterioribus minute prominulis, subobtusis; elytris sat 
profunde striatis, striis subcrenato-punctatis. Long. 45 m.m. 
Antenne rather feeble. Head rather narrow; eyes small and not prominent. 
Thorax finely and very evenly margined at the sides; the sides much curved, 
