OF NEW ZEALAND. 889 



perceptibly broader than elytra, bearing rather short, greyish hairs. 

 Legs slender, simple ; tarsi moderately short. 



An easily-recognized species, having the occipital foveas nearly as 

 conspicuous as the frontal depression, the thorax rather oviform, the 

 eyes not prominent, and the pubescence rather fine and greyish. In 

 almost all the other species the hairs are comparatively coarse and 

 obvious. 



Length, y-J lines ; breadth, . 



One individual in my own collection. Tairua. 



S. COnvexa, n.s. Shining, head, thorax, and antennae 

 deep-red, elytra fulvo-rufous, hind-body infuscate-red, legs fulvous, 

 tarsi, palpi, and pubescence yellow. 



Head of moderate size, rather convex, slightly narrowed behind 

 the eyes, these latter prominent, the space between the eyes and 

 point of insertion of the antennae rather longer and narrower than 

 usual ; the margins of the deep frontal cavity on the same plane (or 

 very nearly so) as the antennal tubercles ; occipital foveaa small, not 

 easily seen from above, being situated on the declivous back part. 

 Antenna robust. Terminal joint of maxillary palpus rather oviform. 

 Prothorax cordate, convex, with the usual sculpture. Elytra rather 

 longer and decidedly broader than thorax, a little narrowed in front, 

 with the normal impressions. Hind-body a little broader and not 

 much longer than elytra, its apical segments abruptly deflexed, the 

 basal segment bearing minute brassy scales. Legs long and stout ; 

 the intermediate tibiae bent near the extremity, the others slightly 

 arcuated outwardly ; tarsi elongate. 



The rather small convex head, with its deep frontal cavity and 

 half -concealed basal foveae, short abdomen, and slightly flexuous 

 middle tibiae, do not correspond with the characters of any one 

 species described as yet, though S. elevata is perhaps its nearest 

 congener. 



Lengths, i^ lines ; breadth, f . 



Described from the single specimen I found at Tuakau, Waikato. 



Group-SILPHID^. 



Microsilpha. 



Nov. gen. 



Body oblong, somewhat convex, pilose. Head large enough to 

 close front of thorax. Prothorax almost transverse-quadrate, finely 

 marginated but not explanated laterally, adapted to, but not over- 

 lapping, the base of elytra. Scutellum small. Elytra oblong, 

 apices obtusely truncate, exposing the small apical segment of the 

 abdomen. Antenna n -articulate, shorter than head and thorax; 

 two basal joints stout, oviform, second the smaller ; third much 

 more slender, nearly as long as second ; fourth joint hardly longer 

 than broad, obconical; joints 5 and 6 equal, transversal, broader than 

 fourth ; seventh and eighth broader than the preceding, transverse, 

 the latter about twice the breadth of the sixth ; club tri-articulate, its 

 basal joints transverse, the terminal somewhat rounded, large, with 



10 PT. iv. 



