284 COLEOPTERA 



serrate ; appendicular extremity of eleventh joint short and but little 

 marked. Prosternal sutures duplicate. Mesosternal cavity and its 

 suture with the metasternum variable. Coxal plate of hind coxce short, 

 and gradually and slightly longer towards the trochanter, so that there 

 is no limit between the trochanteral and femoral portions. Tarsi with 

 the fourth joint short but quite distinct, the apices of the first to fourth 

 joints beneath more or less membraneous and prolonged. Elytra acu- 

 minate. Species of large or moderate size. 



This group in New Zealand is abruptly marked off from TJwramus 

 by the form of the head, tarsi, and coxse, and by the acuminate elytra ; 

 its affinities are undoubtedly with the South American Semiotus; and 

 one of the species, Metablax brouni, must be considered specially allied 

 to that genus. It is a remarkable fact, however, that the elevation and 

 horizontality of the mesosternal cavity, which forms one of the most 

 pronounced features of Semiotus, is in the New Zealand species M. 

 approximans the subject of sexual disparity : while the disappearance of 

 the suture behind this cavity is subject to difference in closely allied 

 species ; and yet Candeze considered this latter character of such 

 importance that he used it as the essential character of his sub-tribe 

 Chalcolepidiides. 



497. M. brouni, Sharp; Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., May, 1877. 

 M. colore variabilis, elongatus, nitidus, insequaliter albido pubescens ; 

 prothorace angulis posterioribus divergentibus, intra latera depresso, 

 dense punctate, et evidenter sparsim pubescente, medio nitido fere 

 impunctato; elytris apice acutis, obsolete striatis, interstitiis alternis 

 magis pubescentibus, tertio ad basin leviter prominulo ; sutura inter- 

 coxali omnino carens ; tarsi's articulis 2-4 subtus apicibus membranaceis 

 sed vix prolongatis. 



Long., 23-25 mm. 



The acuminate elytra and the entire absence of any suture between 

 the middle coxae at the junction of the meso- and metasternal processes, 

 taken together, readily distinguish this species from all the others yet 

 known from New Zealand. The pubescence is very easily removed, and 

 specimens are sometimes nearly completely denuded. The colour 

 varies greatly, from nearly black to nearly red. 



This species is apparently confined to the North Island ; and the 

 only exact locality I can mention is Tairua, whence two specimens have 

 been sent me by Captain Broun. 



498. M. acutipennis, White. Sharp; Ann. Mag. Nat. 

 May, 1877. M. colore variabilis, elongatus, sat nitidus, evidenter et 

 insequaliter albido pubescens ; prothorace angulis posterioribus divergen- 

 tibus, intra latera depresso, dense punctato et evidenter pubescente, 

 medio sublsevi, crebre subtiliter punctato ; elytris apice acutis, leviter 

 sulcatis, sulcis pubescentibus, interstitio tertio ad basin prominulo ; 

 sutura intercoxali distincta ; tarsi's articulis secundo et tertio subtus 

 apicibus breviter membranaceo-lobatis. 



Long., 18-23 ram - 



