802 COLEOPTERA 



Length (rost. excl.), 2 lines; breadth, i line. 

 Described from one example communicated from Mr. P. Stewart- 

 Sandager, Wellington. 



Rhyncodes (p- 5 2 )- 



1430. R. atrus, n.s. Black, glossy, sparsely clothed with 

 white hair-like scales. 



Rostrum elongate, sub-parallel, gradually widened behind, very 

 finely and distantly punctated, almost nude. 



Head finely and rather closely punctured, squamose. Prothorax 

 sub-conical, contracted anteriorly ; its sculpture close, consisting of 

 moderate and minute punctures irregularly distributed; with an 

 abbreviated raised line before the scutellum ; broader than long. 

 Scutellum nude. Elytra convex, sides nearly vertical, gradually 

 narrowed to within a short distance of the apices, from thence ob- 

 liquely attenuated and a little acuminate at their extremities ; 

 coarsely punctate-striate, interstices minutely punctured, the third, 

 fifth, and seventh a little more elevated than the others ; the fourth, 

 fifth, and seventh become confluent before the apices, and the 

 seventh is incurved towards the third, causing an inequality of sur- 

 face at that part ; the elongate scales predominate in the furrows. 

 Legs normal, sparingly clothed with griseous hairs, the four posterior 

 femora squamose near the extremity. Underside shining-black, 

 nearly smooth, the squamosity sparingly distributed and yellower 

 than those on the upper surface. Pectoral canal deep, its raised 

 margins extending beyond the middle of the intermediate coxse. 

 Antenna inserted near the middle, basal joint of the funiculus 

 longest, the others gradually decrease; club opaque, densely pu- 

 bescent. 



Length (rost. excl.), 10 lines; breadth, 4^-. 



My specimen was obtained by Mr. T. F. Cheeseman, F.L.S., on 

 Mount Arthur. 



Group-COSSONID^. 



On page 731, Part II., of the Manual of the New Zealand 

 Coleoptera, there is an allusion to the difficulty likely to be experi- 

 enced in accurately identifying the numerous species of this group, 

 now seventy. Having recently made a thorough examination of its 

 somewhat heterogeneous exponents, I came to the conclusion that a 

 revision had become necessary. The species have accordingly been 

 rearranged in my cabinet in such a way that, it is hoped, their 

 determination will be greatly facilitated. The following list will 

 express my views : 



Nos. 906 Pcntarthrum apicale Nos. 907 Pentarthrum brunneum 



908 rufum 911 brevirostre 



1297 sculpturatum 1304 ruficorne 



1301 asperella 1303 rugirostre 



1299 confine 1298 reductum 



1300 punctirostre 919 piceum 



903 zealandicum 925 ferrugineum 



905 subsericatum 1306 conicolle 



