82 COLEOPTERA 



punctures, and the interstices distinctly and closely punctated so as to 

 appear rugulose ; the margins are a little explanated toward* the apex. 

 Legs rather short. The fourth and fifth joints of the antenna are rather 

 short, almost obconical. 



Length, 3^ lines ; breadth, if. 



I found one mutilated individual at Tairua. 



151. R. OpimuS, n.s. Dark shining green, the head and thorax 

 darkest, legs pitchy-red, palpi and antennae pitchy-brown, the club of the 

 latter dull and very finely pubescent. Head distinctly, but rather finely 

 and closely punctured ; epistome quite straight in front, with raised 

 anterior margin ; there is a rounded impression behind, and an irregu- 

 larly curved line in front of the eyes. Thorax transverse, finely mar- 

 gined, slightly rounded laterally and a good deal narrowed anteriorly ; 

 the apex is sinuously emarginate, and the base has an obtuse central 

 lobe and a sinuation at each side of it ; the front and hind angles are 

 rounded, the disc is moderately convex transversely, sloping gradually, 

 but leaving a broad lateral space, which, however, is not concave ; there 

 are two distant punctiform impressions near the base and a larger one 

 between them ; the discoidal portion is very finely and distantly punc- 

 tured, beyond it is much more coarsely and closely impressed. Scutellum 

 rather long, distinctly punctured and infuscate. Elytra convex, large, 

 widest behind, obtusely rounded posteriorly, with somewhat explanated 

 margins ; they bear finely punctured striae ; these are most evident near 

 the sides and apex, only the five sutural reach the base, and the inter- 

 stices are more distinctly punctated than is the case in R. incertus, 

 but the striae are much more finely punctured than in that species. 

 The legs are moderate, the inner side of the tibia are grooved, and the 

 second and fifth tarsal joints are about equal. 



Under-side brownish-black, punctated, and finely pilose. Meta- 

 sternum a little elevated in the middle, terminating between the hind 

 coxae in a bifid process ; mesostermim rather depressed, with a narrow 

 process separating the intermediate coxse ; front coxae contiguous. 



Length, 3! lines; breadth, z\. 



The insect is larger and broader than R. incertus, and seems to me 

 to agree more accurately with the description of R. pedinoides. White, 

 than does the former. I received one specimen, quite recently, from 

 Captain Hutton, who found it at Queenstown, Otago. 



Group SPHERIDIIDJE. 



The two lobes of the maxilla coriaceous or sub-membraneous. 

 Second joint of maxillary palpi, more or less enlarged. Antennce. with 

 eight or nine joints. ProtJwrax of the same width as the elytra at the 

 base, narrowed anteriorly. Tarsi not natatorial ; the first joint of the 

 posterior very much longer than the others. 



