260 COLEOPTERA 



458. A. COmmuniS, n.s. Moderately convex, parallel-sided, nude, 

 shining, piceous, sometimes more or less reddened. Head rather closely 

 and distinctly punctured. Protlwrax transversely quadrate, slightly 

 rounded laterally, its angles not acute, the basal and side margin behind, 

 subserrate ; the disc bears coarse distant punctures, which are more 

 closely placed near the sides, leaving, however, a smooth space at the 

 middle close to the side margin, the anterior portion is punctulated. 

 Scutellum elongate, subtriangular. Elytra a little convex, parallel, with 

 acute tubercular shoulders, and on each nine distinct striae with rather 

 large closely placed punctures, so that the interstices appear somewhat 

 crenate. The posterior tibial spur is longer than the first joint of the 

 tarsus. Legs and antennae reddish. 



Length, ij line. 



I found this species at Tairua and Whangarei, at both of which 

 places it is rather common, and I think I have specimens from other 

 localities. It is allied to the preceding species, but not to A. brouni. 



459- A. brouni, Sharp; Entom. Mon. Mag., vol. 13, />. 71. 

 Nigricans, convexus, minus elongatus, subopacus ; antennis pedibusque 

 dilutioribus ; thorace transverse, angulis posterioribus fere nullis, crebre 

 irregulariter punctate ; elytris striatis, striis apice profundioribus, minus 

 distincte punctatis. 



Long, corp., 3^ mm. 



Head impunctate except on the extreme vertex, quite without eleva- 

 tions ; clypeus emarginate. Thorax strongly transverse, rather wider 

 than the elytra, the front angles rounded and a little produced, the hind 

 angles extremely indistinct and obtuse ; the surface bears numerous 

 rather deep but not very coarse punctures, which are irregularly distrib- 

 uted, and nearly wanting about the front; the surface is rather dull. 

 The elytra are rather short, and bear each nine somewhat deep but 

 rather fine striae ; they are deepest on the deflexed portion ; the punc- 

 tures these striae bear are only indistinct ; the surface is dull, but the 

 interstices are not punctured. The legs are short, the tibtce stout, the 

 long spur on the hind ones reaching nearly to the apex of the second 

 joint. 



The mesosternum is densely and finely rugose so as to be very dull ; 

 the space between the middle legs is carinate. 



Sent by Mr. Edwards and Captain Broun ; Mr. Edwards' specimen 

 with the number 1708; some of Captain Broun's individuals were in- 

 dicated as found on the wood of Sophora tetraptera. 



OBS. This species is rather smaller than our European A. biguttatus, 

 and somewhat similar in form thereto. I think it may be placed in 

 Harold's genus Ataznius ; in many respects it resembles A. exsculptiis 

 and its allies, but is very readily distinguished from them by the rugose 

 mesosternum. It varies in colour, the elytra being sometimes obscure 

 red. 



Group MELOLONTHID^E. 



Ligula corneous and soldered to the mentum; sometimes coriaceous, 

 membraneous and free. Mandibles not overlapped by the clypeus. The 



