77 2 COLEOPTERA 



dilated. The antennal cavities are large, with slightly carinated 

 edges; the hind line touches the eye just between the front and 

 middle. 



$ . Length, If lines ; breadth, -|. 



I caught two at Waitakerei ; the second, probably the female, 

 is nearly two lines in length. 



Talerax (p. 279). 



1368. T. tennis, n>s. Black, shining, gradually narrowed 

 posteriorly; legs and basal joint of the antennae infuscate, tarsi 

 testaceous, clothed with short greyish hairs. 



Head densely and rugosely sculptured. Prothorax transversal, 

 its apex finely carinated, anterior angles depressed, posterior pro- 

 minent and a little incurved at the extremity ; its surface is finely 

 and distantly punctulated. Elytra elongate, gradually and slightly 

 narrowed behind, apices obtuse ; each has a sutural stria most 

 deeply impressed at the base and apex, and a broad, oblique basal 

 depression, causing the shoulder to seem considerably elevated ; the 

 sculpture appears confused, the punctures being sometimes in rows, 

 but never coarse. Antenna relatively stout, as long as the body, 

 second joint very short, fourth joint shorter than third ; they are 

 almost filiform. 



Length, If lines ; breadth, f line. 



I found one, most likely a male, at Waitakerei. It is the smallest 

 Eucnemid described as yet. 



Group ELATERID-ffi. 



Protelater (p. 304)- 



1369. P. nigricans, Sharp; Ent. Mon. Mag., Aug. 1881, 

 p. 50. Elongatus, angustulatus, sub-cylindricus, niger, sparsim 

 tenuiter pubescens, sat nitidus, prothoracis angulis posterioribus 

 picescentibus, abdomine nigro-piceo, lateribus runs. 



Long., ii mm.; lat., 2f-2 mm. 



This species is the largest Protelater yet discovered, and may 

 thus be easily identified, also by its black colour, comparatively 

 shining surface, and scanty pubescence. The thorax is shining, rather 

 sparingly and distinctly punctured, the elongate hind angles are 

 much directed outwards ; the elytra are rather deeply striate, the 

 striae distinctly punctured ; the interstices are more finely and 

 sparingly punctured ; the third, fifth, and seventh are, beyond the 

 middle, more elevated than the others. 



The colour of this species is very probably variable ; compared 

 with the large variety of P. elongatus, I find that P. nigricans, in- 

 dependent of the colour and sculpture, is distinguished by more 

 elongate antennae, and by the hind angles being more abruptly 

 directed outwards. 



Grey mouth, Helms. 



NOTE. Dr. Sharp's Chrosis violacea (Ent. Mon. Mag., Aug. 1881, 

 p. 49), is identical with No. 1188 (Part n., p. 681) ; the colour of his 

 specimen is probably brighter than mine. 



