352 COLEOPTERA. 
Legs and antennae and the setigerous punctures on the head similar 
to those of M. laterale. 
Underside shining, moderately finely but not closely punctate near the 
sides of the sternum and basal abdominal segment, terminal segment quadri- 
punctate at the apex. 
M. costellum (2595), from Stephen Island, is of about equal size ; in it, 
however, the sculpture of the head and thorax is very different, the elytral 
costae are much less elevated and almost linear, and the interstices are 
distinctly, closely, and irregularly punctured. 
M. costipenne (3388) is obviously less elongate, the sculpture of the 
head and thorax is dissimilar, the sides of the latter are almost regularly 
curvedly narrowed backwards so that the basal angles are almost obsolete, 
and the punctation of the elytral interstices more nearly resembles that of 
M. costellum. 
Length, 36 mm.; breadth, 11 mm. 
Mount Dick, Lake Wakatipu. One found on the 11th March, 1914, 
by Mr. T. Hall, who shares my pleasure in being able to name this hand- 
some insect in honour of Professor Charles Chilton. 
5786. Mecodema politanum sp. nov. 
Oblong, slightly convex; very brilliant black, antennae, tarsi, and palpi 
piceous, these last paler at the extremity. 
Head, including the prominent eyes, as broad as the front of thorax, 
almost quite smooth, having only a few minute scattered punctures behind ; 
there are no interocular rugae, and only a single broad groove on each 
side of the forehead ; when under a powerful lens many minute punctures 
may be detected. Thorax of almost equal length and breadth, widely 
but not deeply incurved in front, base subtruncate ; sides finely crenulate, 
gently curved, distinctly narrowed behind the middle, deeply sinuate near 
the base, with subacute prominent angles; disc apparently smooth, with 
some very short basal striae, a slight-impression near each anterior angle, 
and the common abbreviated discal groove, basal fossae deep, neither 
rotundate nor very elongate. Elytra oblong-oval, rather broader than 
thorax, not thrice its length, nearly as broad behind as at the middle; on 
each there are 5 series of slight slender punctures, these become striae 
behind but obsolete at the base, 6th series rather more distinct and deeper 
and separated from the 7th by the subcostate interval, the 7th and 8th 
form somewhat irregular but distinctly though not very coarsely punctured 
striae; the side is smooth above but has some coarse distant punctures 
below, the apical sculpture is irregular and coarsely punctiform; the dorsal 
interstices are plane, but the 7th has 3 or 4 very conspicuous punctiform 
impressions. 
Legs stout, posterior tibiae simple, the others prominent at the outer 
extremity. Last 6 joimts of antennae obviously pubescent. 
Underside glossy, nearly smooth, having only a few fine shallow 
punctures, last segment of abdomen with fine transverse wrinkles and 
quadripunctate at apex. Mentum obtusely convex in the middle, with a 
deep frontal puncture, but not distinctly bifid there. 
Readily distinguishable from M. laevicolle (3166) by its broader form, 
very brilliant surface, finely erenulate sides, and prominent basal angles 
of the thorax, and different elytral sculpture; and from M. ambiguum 
(3682) by its lustre, deeply sinuate sides and prominent posterior angles of 
