Species of New-Zealand Coleoptera. 415 



along the lateral margins ; interstices nearly plane, the third 

 tripunctate. 



The tips of the palpi are very slightly obtuse. The basal 

 three articulations of the front tarsi in the male are appre- 

 ciably less dilated than in Haptoderus maorinus (88) and 

 shar planus. The latter is the nearest ally known to me, but 

 its thorax is broader, more rounded, its hind angles are less 

 acutely rectangular, and the fossae less evidently (sometimes 

 not at all) punctured, and there are no interstitial punctures 

 on the elytra. The two hind pairs of tarsi are similarly 

 grooved, and all three species have one seta on each side of 

 the thorax before the middle and another at the hind angle. 



<$ . Length <i ; breadth If line. 



Manawatu Gorge. One male, secured by Mr. W. W. 

 Smith. 



Pterostichus oxymelus, sp. n. 



Oblong, medially narrowed, slightly convex, brilliant 

 black; tarsi and basal four joints of antennae rufo-piceous, 

 remaining joints rufo - fuscous j palpi shining, rufo-piceous, 

 with fulvescent tips. 



Head large, as long as thorax, and (eyes included) nearly 

 as broad as that is ; frontal impressions elongate and deep, 

 more or less finely wrinkled ; eyes prominent ; labium 

 obliquely emarginate. Thorax widest before the middle, 

 moderately rounded, a good deal curvedly narrowed and 

 slightly sinuate behind ; posterior angles rectangular, slightly 

 incrassate and prominent, the anterior rounded ; apex and 

 base widely incurved, the latter subtruncate near each side ; 

 discoidal furrow deeply impressed and a little expanded 

 towards the extremities, but not reaching the apex ; basal 

 fossae longer than broad, well developed, situate nearer the 

 sides than the middle ; there are a few fine longitudinal striae 

 near the middle of the base and apex, but no perceptible ones 

 across the disk ; it is only an eighth broader than long. 

 Scutellum deeply striate at base. Elytra oblong-oval, shoul- 

 ders rather narrow and not dentiform ; they are only mode- 

 rately narrowed and rounded and only slightly sinuate 

 behind ; they are slightly convex, their striae are moderately 

 deep and finely punctured, but some become a little irregular 

 and interrupted towards the extremity. 



Legs robust ; femora strongly dilated, posterior angulate 

 below ; front and middle tibiae incrassate near extremity, 

 the posterior flexuous, strongly and acutely prolonged at the 

 inner extremity, the two apical spines unequal and elongate, 

 both bent backwards. 



