1098 COLEOPTEEA 



large, is occupied in the middle by a deep groove, with raised edges 

 for the support of the prosternal process, and on either side of this 

 with a curved ridge to complete the enclosure of the front coxae. The 

 metasternum is rather short, and its sidepieces are scarcely visible ; 

 the hind coxae are about as widely separated as those of the front 

 and middle legs, they are transversely conical ; the legs are small, 

 the tibiae feeble, unarmed, without apical spurs. The tarsi are ter- 

 minated by two rather large simple claws; there is very little 

 difference between the front and hind feet. The ventral sutures are 

 all deep, and the basal segment along the middle is nearly as long 

 as the three following together, these being quite short. 



This insect has been recently examined by some skilful entomo- 

 logists, who concluded they could only find four joints to the tarsi. 

 I may therefore state that the description given by me of the trophii 

 and feet of P. thoracicus was made from a dissection mounted in 

 Canada balsam, and is undoubtedly correct, as a fresh examination 

 of the preparation, so far as regards the feet, has been made by my- 

 self and the Eev. H. S. Gorham. (Notes added during press.) 



1952. P. thoraciCUS, n.s. (Sharp; Trans. Boy. Dub. Soc., 

 1886, p. 395.) Brevissime avalis, testaceo-ferrugineus, politus, glaber, 

 capite porrecto transversim post antennas subrugoso ; prothorace 

 magno, omnium latissime marginato, angulis posterioribus pro- 

 longatis. 



Long., LJ-mm. 



The peculiar thorax, with its remarkable broad flat margin, will 

 at a glance permit the identification of this species. The elytra are 

 convex, very short in proportion to the thorax, very completely 

 covering the undersurface ; the scutellum is scarcely visible, the 

 base of the thorax being transversely depressed, and a little pro- 

 longed, so that only a very minute tip of the scutellum is exposed ; 

 there are no wings. 



Bealey. Helms; half a dozen examples. Though amongst the 

 most minute of the New Zealand Coleoptera, it is certainly one of the 

 most peculiar. 



1953. P. sanguineus, n.s. Oblong-oval, compact, convex, 

 medially depressed, shining ; blood-red, legs rufo-fulvous ; sparingly 

 clothed w r ith a few short, slender, upright, pallid hairs. 



Head exserted, with a few comparatively well-marked distant 

 punctures, plane in front, depressed towards the eyes ; these coarsely 

 facetted and prominent. Antennae stout, elongate; basal two joints 

 similar in form, first larger ; third quite as long as second, evidently 

 longer than the following ones ; ninth broader than eighth ; club 

 abruptly biarticulate ; tenth joint strongly transverse, broader than 

 rounded terminal one. Thorax gently rounded and narrowed towards 

 the front, very finely and remotely punctured ; lateral margins 

 broad and flat, narrower in front than behind, with an obvious 

 channel along the inner side of each ; base depressed, its angles pro- 

 longed backwards and resting on the shoulders. Scutellum narrow, 



