OF NEW ZEALAND. 307 



FAMILY DASCYLLIDES. 



Mentum corneous. Ligula large, membraneous. Maxilla bilobed, 

 unarmed. Mandibles short. Antenna inserted immediately in front oil 

 the eyes, with eleven joints. Anterior and intermediate coxa variable ; 

 the cotyloid cavities of the front pair open behind ; the posterior trans- 

 versal, canaliculate posteriorly ; trochanters placed diversely, seldom 

 absent ; tarsi five-jointed, or sub-pentamerous. Mesostermtm and pro- 

 sternum variable. Five ventral segments to the abdomen, all distinct. 



Group DASCYLLID^E. 



Ligula and lobes of the maxillae often laciniated. Labrum and 

 epistome distinct. Anterior and intermediate coxa variable ; the poste- 

 rior abruptly widened inwardly ; the penultimate joint of the tarsi very 

 distinct. Prosternal process very narrow, often visible beyond the front 

 coxae. The mesostemum concave in the greater number. 



Byrrhodes. 



Sharp ; Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., July, 1878,^. 43. 



The only species yet brought to light to form this group exhibits the 

 following characters : 



Size greater than other New Zealand species; build, robust. Antenna 

 elongate. Head short and broad, the interantennal portion not extended 

 forwards ; the antennal fossa very profound, and making the angle of 

 the gena at the base of the maxillae very prominent ; genal line very 

 acutely raised ; mentum elongate, with the rather large bilobed ligula 

 placed conspicuously at its apex ; labial palpi not furcate, but with the 

 second joint much incrassate. Front coxa elongate, oblique, transverse, 

 excessively exposed ; front band of prosternum excessively short ; pro- 

 sternal process entirely exposed below the coxae, and forming in front a 

 very prominent angle with the middle piece of the prosternum. Coxal 

 articulation of meso- and metasterna perfect, and middle coxse well 

 imbedded. 



551. B. gravidUS, Sharp; Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., July, 1878, 

 p. 42. B. magnus, latus, robustus, ovalis, sat convexus, dense subtiliter 

 punctatus, dense conspicueque pubescens, fusco-castaneus ; antennis 

 elongatis, articulo basali crasso, secundo parvo, tertio elongate, quam 

 quartus duplo breviore, quarto et sequentibus subsequalibus ; prothorace 

 valde transverse, elytris angustiore, margine anteriore profunde bisinuato, 

 angulis anterioribus productis acutis, lateribus leviter rotundatis, angulis 

 posterioribus obtuse rectis, basi subrotundata vix utrinque sinuata ; 

 elytris obsolete longitudinaliter costatis. 



Long., 10-12 mm. ; lat, 6-7 mm. 



This large species recalls somewhat by its appearance some of the 

 European Byrrhi, B. scabripennis for example. The very conspicuous 



