COLEOPTERA 



Australia, and the European Mesites are the only cognate forms so 

 far as the shape of the thorax is concerned. The rostrum is peculiar, 

 very OtiorhyncJms-like. 



1754. E. OptimUS, n.s. Shining, rufo-piceous ; the sides of 

 the elytral disc infuscate, a broad ante-apical space yellow ; legs 

 clear yellow, but with the base of the thighs and the knees 

 brownish ; antennas and tarsi red ; it is clothed with a few minute, 

 greyish hairs. 



Rostrum shorter than thorax, wider before than behind the 

 antennae, moderately coarsely punctured. Antenna with grey hairs ; 

 the two basal joints of the funiculus of about equal length, second 

 more slender than first, the others transverse ; club ovate, densely 

 pubescent. Head smooth, and not in the least contracted, behind 

 the eyes. Thorax oblong, scarcely curved laterally, suddenly nar- 

 rowed at the apex, deeply bisinuate at base ; uneven yet nearly 

 plane above, with a longitudinal depression (rather closely and some- 

 times confluently punctured) on each side of the middle separated 

 by a narrow smooth line, which, when looked at sideways, appears 

 li-ke a carina; the punctation of the rest of its surface irregular, 

 rather coarse, but on some parts rather distant. Elytra abruptly 

 broader than thorax at the base, where they are strongly arcuated, 

 not parallel, but gradually narrowed towards the extremity ; rather 

 flat above, somewhat impressed near the middle, striate-punctate, 

 the grooves distinct, but the punctation quite obsolete behind, the 

 middle portion without striae, interstices smdOth, the third, fifth, and 

 seventh sub-cariuate at base. 



Length, 2% lines ; breadth, f . 



Detected on the underside of a log at Stratford, near the base of 

 Mount Egmont. 



Pselactus. 



Nov. gen. 



Body stout, transversely convex. Rostrum parallel ; scrobes 

 oblique. Eyes oviform, depressed. Antenna implanted medially ; 

 scape short, much curved, its extremity incrassate ; funiculus longer 

 than scape, y-articulate ; club distinct, ovate. Head convex, not 

 constricted behind. Thorax as long as broad, base and apex trun- 

 cate, sides obtusely rounded. Scutellwn invisible. Elytra rather 

 short, broader than thorax, oblong, abruptly deflexed behind. Legs 

 moderate, laterally compressed ; tibia nearly straight, their hooks 

 strongly developed ; tarsi elongate and slender, sparsely pilose below, 

 basal and apical joints equally elongate, third slightly expanded and 

 lobate ; claws small. Anterior coxce prominent and narrowly sepa- 

 rated, posterior distant. Metasternum not elongate. Epipleura very 

 narrow. Two basal segments of abdomen large, the suture much 

 sinuated, third and fourth short, with deep sutures. 



A form approaching the Scolytidte, somewhat similar to Inosomus 

 (No. 1312). 



I 755- P- pimctatUS, n.s. Robust, transversely convex, slightly 



