206 COLEOPTERA 



the tarsi are slender, with the three basal joints rather short, and 

 differing but little from one another in length ; the first ventral segment, 

 though not elongate, is distinctly longer than the second. 



OBS. This species is an undoubted member of the Colydiini ; and 

 as it displays pretty much the characters assigned by Mr. Pascoe to his 

 genus Ithris, I have used that word as part of its name. In many 

 respects it approaches Colydium elongatum rather closely, and probably, 

 like that species, lives in burrows in wood. 



Auckland. A single individual, sent by Mr. Lawson. 



NOTE. I found the species at Tairua also, and sent some specimens 

 to Dr. Sharp, whose surmise regarding its mode of life is quite correct. 



Rhizonium. 



Sharp ; Ent. Mon. Mag., July, 1876. 



Coxce posteriores contiguse. Abdomen segmento basali secundo 

 longiore. Caput lateribus haud reflexis. Antenna i i-articulatse, clava 

 tri-articulata. 



Antenna short and stout, with the basal joint quite exposed, the 

 club consisting of the transverse ninth and tenth joints and the narrower 

 eleventh joint. Last joint of maxillary palpi longer than the preceding. 

 Eyes free and prominent. Front coxce contiguous, middle and posterior 

 nearly so. Metasternum elongate. First ventral segment of hind-body 

 considerably longer than the following. Legs rather slender ; the tarsi 

 rather short and moderately stout, their basal joint not elongate. 



OBS. The insect for which I make this generic name, in its form 

 and sculpture so much resembles a Rhizophagus, that I omitted it in 

 my paper on the New Zealand Colydiidce, from having placed it on one 

 side (without examination) as an ally of that group of the Nitidulida. 

 Its affinities, however, are certainly with Teredus and Oxylcemus, though 

 the structure of its antennae (which are not very dissimilar from those of 

 Aulonium) readily distinguish it therefrom. 



366. R. antiquum, Sharp; Ent. Mon. Mag., July, 1876. Sub- 

 depressum, sat nitidum, fortiter punctatum, ferrugineum, nudum. 



Long, corp., vix 2 mm. 



Antenna reddish, much shorter than head and thorax, rather stout ; 

 first and second joints stout, not longer than broad, about equal to one 

 another ; third to eighth broad, very short, quite similar to one another ; 

 ninth and tenth rather strongly transverse, quite distinct from one 

 another ; eleventh a good deal narrower than tenth, but longer than it. 

 Head about as broad as the thorax, rather coarsely punctured, without 

 any raised lateral margins. Thorax quadrate, about as long as broad, 

 and about straight at the sides, the hind angles very indistinct on 

 account of the curving of the base ; the surface rather coarsely punc- 

 tured. Elytra moderately closely and coarsely punctured, the punctures 

 arranged in rows, which, however, are not very distinct. 



Four specimens of this interesting little species were sent me by 



