84 Capt. T. Broun on new 



The type is a minute and curious creature. The liead, as 

 seen from above, is more like that of a water-beetle than that 

 of a Silpha ; at each side, in front of the eye, there is a narrow 

 excision; this, I believe, enables the antenna to be placed 

 over the head. The ventral seg ments are retractile, so that 

 the pygidium is often concealed above. The antenna are 

 somewhat similar to those of a Corticaria {C. pacata, for 

 example) ; their eighth joint is not at all abbreviated. The 

 genus may be placed near Oholeva, though I fail to detect 

 more than four joints to the tarsi. 



Silphotelus nitidus^ sp. n. 



Shining^ variegated fuscous, with only a few minute setae 

 behind; the legs, the first two joints of the antennae, and the 

 thoracic lateral margins pale reddish brown ; apices of elytra 

 paler. 



Head nearly smooth. Antennce sparingly pilose, very 

 gradually dilated apically. Thorax much broader than long, 

 slightly curvedly narrowed anteriorly ; in front of the middle 

 the side margins and channels are more distinct than they are 

 near the base; the apex and base are not marginated; the 

 posterior angles are rectangular, the anterior are not promi- 

 nent ; the disk seems smooth, but towards the sides a fine 

 punctuation may be seen. Elytra distinctly, rather finely, 

 and not very regularly jiunctured, their sculpture less appa- 

 rent after the middle ; there are no well-marked sutural strise. 

 Legs with fine yell owish setas ; tibiaj straight. 



Underside fuscous, sparingly and finely pubescent. The 

 metasternum nearly smooth in the middle, its sides rather 

 coarsely and closely punctured. The last ventral segment 

 bears a few slender elongate pale hairs. 



Length ^, breadth f line. 



Hunua Kange. Five examples found during two years 

 amongst decaying leaves on the ground. 



B^OSILPHA, gen. nov. 



Body broadly oval, narrowed posteriorly, moderately con- 

 vex, oWiously pubescent. Head small, immersed to the eyes, 

 narrow in front. Eyes convex. Mentiim transversely quad- 

 rate. Maxillary pal^n short ; terminal joints very broad and 

 securiform, the others small. ZaZ/^a?p6i!/^^ indistinguishable. 

 Antennce quite the length of the head and thorax, 11-articu- 

 late, stout ; basal two joints equally elongate ; third and 

 fourth longer than broad, smaller than the preceding one ; 

 sixth rather shorter than fifth j eighth little more than half 



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