996 COLEOPTEKA 



Head much narrowed behind the prominent eyes, longitudinally 

 wrinkled at the sides, transversely behind, the space near the back 

 of each eye rather densely rugose ; the frontal impressions well 

 marked, as is a puncture near each mandible ; labrum broad, widely 

 incurved. Thorax about one-fourth broader than long, rather more 

 deeply incurved at the base than it is in front ; the sides well rounded 

 before the middle, sinuously narrowed behind, posterior angles 

 rectangular; median groove deep, extending from base to apex, 

 basal fossae elongate, narrow, and deep, situated half-way between 

 the middle and the sides ; there are also a few feeble transverse im- 

 pressions, and a shallow rounded one near each eye. Scuteltum 

 slightly striate at the base. Elytra oblong, slightly curvate laterally, 

 feebly sinuate behind ; rather deeply and regularly striate, the striae 

 indistinctly punctured ; interstices but little convex, the third rather 

 broader than the others, with three punctures on the outer edge ; 

 shoulders without denticle. Femora, simple, the hind pair not 

 angulated underneath. 



P. sternalis is the species most nearly resembling this, which 

 has the head differently sculptured ; its thorax is not quite as flat, 

 being more convex in front ; the elytral striae are a little deeper ; 

 there are no oblique scutellar striae. Dr. Sharp's P. oscillator is 

 another near ally ; in P. perfidiosus both mandibles are slender and 

 acute at the extremity; and the fourth antennal joint is not per- 

 ceptibly longer than the third. 



$ . Length, 5; breadth, 2 lines. 



Dunedin (Flagstaff Hill). One male, found by Mr. T. Chalmer. 



1788. P. hunuensis, Black, shining; tarsi, antennae, 

 and mandibles rufo-piceous. 



Head constricted behind; eyes very prominent; apex of left 

 mandible more curvate than its fellow ; labrum truncate in front. 

 Thorax somewhat flattened above, only slightly broader than long, 

 moderately rounded laterally, almost as much narrowed in front as 

 it is behind, with a slight sinuosity near the base, posterior angles 

 rectangular, apex subtruncate, the base medially incurved ; dorsal 

 furrow deep, extending from the base and almost touching the front 

 margin ; ba.sal fossae long, narrow, and deep, as far from the sides as 

 they are from the middle. Some feeble striae in front of scutellum. 

 Elytra deeply and regularly striate, the striae moderately closely, 

 distinctly, but not coarsely, punctured ; the third interstice with 

 one large puncture behind extending across the third stria. 



Another ally of P. sternalis. The humeral angles are very 

 slightly prominent ; elytral striae rather deeper and broader, with 

 very distinct and regular punctures, without scutellar striolae ; the 

 thorax oviform ; the eyes even more convex. 



Length, 6 ; breadth, 2 lines. 



Described from a female found in the Hunua, near Papakura. 



1789. P. detractUS, n.s. Shining, black, antennae and tarsi 

 piceous. 



