Suarp—On New Zealand Coleoptera. 405 
Fam. PTINID: 
PERPLECTRUS (new name for Xenocera, Broun). 
Corpus subcylindricum, brevissime pubescens. Antenne: undecim articulate, 
articulis 3°, 4°, 6° et 8° minutis, articulis 5°, 7° et tribus ultimis magnis. Prothorax 
ad latera immarginatus, angulis anterioribus ad coxas sitis, prosternum et mesoster- 
num inter coxas sulcata. Coxe posteriores quoad longitudinem  brevissime. 
Abdomen suturis ventralibus profundis. 
The above will be found sufficient characters for the identification of an insect 
allied to the European genera, Gastrallus and Anobium, but different by the pecu- 
liar enlargement of the fifth and seventh joints of the antenne ; in the European 
genera just mentioned the three terminal joints are elongate, while all the inter- 
mediate joints remain small; these three joints of the club have a similar form in 
Perplectrus to that seen in the European genera. Apart from these characters the 
genus differs from Anobium by the absence of a raised lateral margin on the thorax, 
and from Gastrallus by the number of joints in the antenne. In form and facies 
Perplectrus is remarkably similar to Gastrallus. 
This is no doubt the genus Broun intended to establish under the name of 
Xenocera, and I should have been glad to have adopted the name he proposed ; but, 
unfortunately, Xenocerus has been in use for a long period for a well-known genus 
of Coleoptera. 
Perplectrus obscurus, n. sp.—Subcylindricus, sat elongatus, ferrugineo-brun- 
neus, brevissime pubescens, elytris ad latera vage fusco-plagiatis. Long. 38 m.m. 
(Plate xim., fig. 4.) 
Covered with a dense, excessively minute pubescence of a pallid fuscous tint, 
not yariegate, though a darker patch appears vaguely defined on each wing-case ; 
this is probably due to some arrangement of the pubescence, as the position and 
shape of the darker patch varies according to the light and point of view. The 
antennze and legs are ferruginous, the former largely developed, the fifth joint 
being broad as well as long, its width at the apex being, in fact, but little less than 
its length; the other enlarged joints progressively diminish in width, the terminal 
joint being very slender and elongate. The prothorax is not quite so long as 
broad, slightly broader in front than at the base, the surface excessively finely 
sculptured, without elevations, and with only a slight simulation of conical eleva- 
tion of the disc. Elytra with quite regular, close strie, which are distinctly 
punctate. 
Though Broun has described numerous species of Xenocera, I cannot make this 
accord with any of his descriptions. 
Bealey, Helms, four examples. 
