OP NEW ZEALAND. 1397 



The tooth of the mentivni is not bifid. The mandibles are robust. 

 The tip of one of the labial palpi is truncate ; the other, as well as 

 the terminal joints of the maxillary, are obtuse only. 



$ . Length, 5f ; breadth, If lines. 



Mount Pirongia, Waikato. One male, kindly presented to me by 

 Mr. A. T. Urquhart. 



2437. P. delator, n.s. Elongate, slightly convex ; glossy- 

 black, the legs and basal joint of the antennae pitchy-black, remain- 

 ing joints of these latter piceo-rufous, tarsi and palpi dark-red. 



Thorax one-fourth broader than long, slightly wider before the 

 middle than elsewhere, the sides moderately rounded but a good 

 deal narrowed behind, the short space near the hind angle nearly 

 straight, the angle itself quite rectangular, but not acutely pro- 

 minent ; the front truncate, the base medially incurved ; dorsal 

 groove distinct, not touching the base or apex, deeper near the 

 extremities than at the middle, basal fossae deep, not sulciform, nor 

 yet very broad, and without external plicae. Scutellum striate at 

 base. Elytra rather broader than the thorax, with moderately- 

 curved sides, shoulders dentiform ; their striae are regular, and 

 are finely, sometimes indistinctly, punctured, some striae appear 

 to consist of elongate interrupted impressions, but, nevertheless, 

 they appear regular ; interstices rather flat, the third and fifth 

 a little broader than the others. (Four lateral thoracic setae.) 



This species most nearly resembles P. sinuellus, but is at once 

 differentiated by the form of the thorax, which is more rounded 

 laterally, and it has not the conspicuous hind angles of that species ; 

 the hind-body is rather shorter and narrower. 



. Length, 7-| ; breadth, 2f lines. 



Ashburton. One example, picked out from amongst other pre- 

 daceous ground-beetles forwarded by Mr. W. W. Smith. 



2438. P. rugifrons, n.s. (Sharp; Trans. Boy. Dub. Spc., 1886, 

 p. 451.) Elongatus, subparallelus, nitidus, niger ; antennis, palpis, 

 pedibusque piceis ; capite thoraceque transversim rugosis ; elytris 

 foveolato-striatis. 



Long., 18mm. 



This species belongs to the group 4A, as defined by me, and is 

 allied to P. myrmidon, but has the sculpture much more remarkably 

 developed, suggesting at first that the insect is a Mecodema rather 

 than a Pterostichus. Holcaspis cribrale is, I expect, nearer to the 

 species I am considering, but the description indicates that it must 

 possess a still more remarkable sculpture. In P. rugifrons the 

 thorax is almost longer than broad, but little curved at the sides, 

 and slightly broader at the base than it is at the very depressed 

 obscure front angles ; the surface is traversed by numerous distinct, 

 but not deep, transverse rugae ; the hind angles are decidedly obtuse, 

 owing rather to the curvature of the base than to the rather small 

 obliquity of the lateral margin. The sculpture of the elytra consists 

 of striae interrupted in some places, and in others augmented by 



