632 COLEOPTERA 



accord with either of these genera in the form of the head and structure 

 of the palpi and antennae. 



In the present genus the head is carinated in front, the carina 

 extending backwards to the antennae, and there are two obtuse inter- 

 ocular elevations behind separated by an obvious groove ; whilst the 

 head itself is not quite immersed up to the eyes, which are large and 

 prominent, subovate, and a little truncated inwardly in front. The palpi 

 are stout, somewhat similar to those of the above cited genera, but with 

 a very short, conical, terminal joint. The antenna, are of nearly the 

 same length as the body, filiform ; with a moderately elongate, sub- 

 clavate basal joint not longer than the fourth ; second shorter than 

 third ; fourth slightly longer than fifth ; joints five to ten about equal, 

 the last elongate-oval and pointed. 



The chief structural characters assigned to Motschulsky's genus 

 Superodes by Lacordaire (Hist, des Ins. Coleop., Tom. xi.,/. 187^ are as 

 follows : 



Head moderate, rounded ; second and third joints of maxillary palpi 

 subequal, thickened, obconical. Prothorax transversal, nearly twice as 

 broad as it is long, apex straight, the sides and base almost rounded, 

 the angles obtuse, the anterior thickened, the posterior indicated by a 

 slight projection, with the disc convex. Scutellum sub-equilaterally- 

 triangular. Elytra oblong-oval, finely margined, regularly convex, 

 irregularly punctured ; epipleurce. rather wide, prolonged behind. Pro- 

 sternum not elevated between the front coxae ; cotyloid cavities 

 incomplete ; metasternal parapleura large, plane, obliquely truncated 

 behind. Legs moderate ; tibia sub-cylindrical, mucronated, the pos- 

 terior longer than the anterior; first joint of the posterior tarsi longer 

 than the three following united, second and third subequal in length ; 

 claws appendiculated. 



In the following species the thorax is margined ; the second tarsal 

 joint is longer than the third and almost triangular, the third is dilated 

 and bilobed ; the tibia are more or less arcuated and terminate in a 

 small calcar. 



These diagnoses, conjointly, define the New Zealand species. 



1 1 08. A. VUlgaris, n.s. Oblong, moderately convex; head pale 

 castaneous, thorax yellowish, elytra pallid, legs testaceous, antennae 

 fuscous inclining to black. 



Head almost free, the frontal carina prominent, the inter-ocular 

 elevations distinct ; eyes large, prominent, subovate. Thorax broader 

 than long, rather small, finely margined, convex, apex sub-truncate, base 

 rounded, the sides not quite straight, being a little rounded, the front 

 angles slightly prominent, the hind angles obtuse; its surface indistinctly 

 punctulated. Scutellum sub-triangular. Elytra oblong, much broader 

 than the thorax, widest behind, the apices obtusely rounded ; they are 

 transversely convex, a little depressed near each shoulder, and their 

 whole surface is covered with a shallow rugose punctation. Legs 

 moderately long, the two hind pairs of tibia a little arcuated, not 

 attenuated, and terminated by a fine calcar ; the posterior tarsus with 

 its basal joint as long as the following three united, second obconical, 



