l6o COLEOPTERA 



290. S. apicella, n.s. Ovate, convex, shining. Antenna, except 

 the basal joint, which is pale-rufous, piceous and pilose; with the 

 -ocvcnth joint narrowed, but not abbreviated. Thorax pitchy-red, im- 

 punctate, and enlarged at the base, so as to conceal the scutellum. 

 Elytra piceous, apex obliquely truncated; suture in front obsolete, 

 distinct, and somewhat elevated behind ; each has a sutural stria, sharply 

 impressed yet not very perceptible ; and an aciculate impression proceed- 

 ing from the base, curved at the shoulder, and continued along the side 

 margin ; the apex, from a line between the posterior femora, is testaceous, 

 with a large black spot on each elytron, placed near the middle. The 

 legs are dark-rufous ; the tibia, strongly flexuose, terminate in a rather 

 long spine. Pygidium conical ; the body underneath is pitchy-red, and 

 the three basal segments of the abdomen are punctulated at-their sutures ; 

 there is also a fine furrow on each side of the metasternum, close to the 

 epipleura. 



Length, i line. 



A small rather pretty species, of which I found three specimens under 

 a log at Whangarei Heads. 



FAMILY HISTERIDES. 



. Ligula very short, generally concealed by the mentum ; its para- 

 glossae membraneous, prominent, divergent, and ciliated inwardly. The 

 two lobes of the maxilla more or less membraneous and ciliated ; the 

 internal very much smaller than the external. Palpi filiform; the 

 labial with three, the maxillary with four, joints. Antenna retractile, 

 short, bent, eleven-jointed ; the basal joint elongate, the terminal three 

 forming a compact club. Prothorax hollowed in front, closely applied 

 to the elytra. Elytra truncated behind, leaving the last two abdominal 

 segments uncovered. Legs contractile ; anterior coxae strongly trans- 

 versal, the others oviform ; these latter distant ; tarsi five-jointed, very 

 rarely heteromerous. Abdomen composed of five segments. 



Group HISTERID^E. 



Head retractile, invisible underneath. Insertion of antenna vari- 

 able. Prosternum with or without chin-piece. 



Platysoma. 



Leach ; Lacord. Hist, des Ins. Coleop., Tom. \\.,p. 255. 



Mandibles projecting or prominent. Head large, epistome forming 

 a rather prominent muzzle, and separated by a distinct transversal 

 groove. Antenna inserted below the angle of forehead, close to the 

 eye ; their club tri-articulate, oval, and compressed. Prothorax trans- 

 versal or sub-quadrate, sub-truncate at base, apex rather strongly incur- 

 ved, the sides nearly straight. Mesothoracic epimera scarcely visible 

 above. Propygidium very short, hexagonal; pygidium triangular, 



