1278 COLEOPTEBA 



This insect was sent me some years ago, having been captured, 

 I believe, at Maori Creek, by Mr. Lins ; and the two examples were 

 sent as being one species, though there appears to be no direct 

 evidence of this beyond the general resemblance between the two. 

 I myself likewise think them one species, though the prothoracic 

 differences are so marked and extreme that they are almost what 

 would be considered of generic importance amongst the allies ; and 

 also in the supposed female the longitudinal veins on the wing-cases 

 are not present ; it is therefore possible that the supposititious 

 female may not really belong to the species. The genus was esta- 

 blished by White, on a single male, closely allied to that which I 

 have described, but considerably larger, and with differences in 

 the prothoracic sculpture ; it has since remained unknown to ento- 

 mologists, its position being somewhat uncertain. Lacordaire is 

 quite in error in supposing (Gen. Col, viii., p. 378) that the eyes 

 present the remarkable form they do in the genus Bardistus : that 

 he should have made this mistake is curious, as White gives a 

 figure of the side of the head and eye, which is approximately 

 correct. This at present is all the information I can give about the 

 genus, as the condition of the two examples I have received does 

 not warrant a prolonged examination; but I think there is little 

 doubt it will prove to be closely allied to the New Zealand Didymo- 



2250. O. nigropictUS, n.s. Elongate, narrow, subdepressed ; 

 nitid, testaceous, head, thorax, legs, and terminal joints of antennae 

 rufo-testaceous, joints 2-4, and the knees, blackish. 



Head with a deep narrow frontal channel, on each side of which 

 there is also a punctate depressed space ; around the eyes the sur- 

 face is quite smooth, but elsewhere there are some rather large 

 distant punctures. Thorax widest behind the middle, gradually 

 narrowed anteriorly, more abruptly behind; each side with two 

 small prominences ; above there are three longitudinal areas having 

 a few large punctures, but shining; the central space, narrow in 

 front, is gradually expanded posteriorly ; the others are slightly 

 raised, more so in front ; the rest of the surface is dotted with large 

 and distant, and small, closely - placed, punctures. Scutellum 

 smooth. Elytra rather coarsely punctated, not costate, but each 

 marked with three ivory-like longitudinal veins, the sutural least 

 distinct ; the punctures of a chocolate colour. 



Underside rufo-testaceous ; abdomen infuscate, feebly sculptured. 



Differs from Dr. Sharp's 0. dispar in having a narrower thorax 

 with two lateral tubercles, the surface much less densely punctured, 

 but with many larger and more evident punctures. 



$ . Length, 8 ; breadth, If lines. 



Clevedon, Southern Wairoa. One example ; Mr. G. Munro. 



2251. O. tOStaceus, n.s. Testaceous ; front tibiae darker than 

 the others ; basal joint of antennae rufous, second and third piceous. 

 the remainder more or less infuscate. 



