1450 COLEOPTEEA 



With shorter and more brightly-coloured setae than No. 438 ; the 

 elytra more distinctly sculptured than No. 437. 

 Length, 1 ; breadth, -f line. 

 Ash burton. Mr. W. W. Smith sent me two specimens. 



Group MELOLONTHID^E. 



Odontria (Gen., p. 265). 



2514. O. Smithii, n.s. Opaque, thorax reddish-brown, elytra 

 much paler, head red, legs and antennae testaceous, tarsi reddish. 



Head shining, the hind part with distinct, the frontal with coarse, 

 shallow, rugose punctures ; it is nearly orbicular, the front margins 

 are raised from one eye to the other. Thorax transverse, the 

 middle widest, more narrowed in front than behind ; the sides mar- 

 gined, closely punctured, and bearing long outstanding hairs ; 

 the surface finely but not closely punctured, and covered with fine, 

 depressed, yellowish hairs. Scutellmn large, with a few fine 

 punctures, its basal portion covered with long pallid hairs. Elytra 

 feebly striate, the striae only visible when examined sideways, they 

 are minutely and closely punctured ; interstices broad and flat, and 

 minutely punctured ; the clothing consists of slender yellowish hairs, 

 and on the basal half there are also long, erect, reddish ones. Pygi- 

 dium testaceous, indistinctly sculptured. 



Underside : Breast testaceous, with long, slender, pallid hairs ; 

 abdomen infuscate, finely punctured, with scanty pubescence. 



Male. Front tibia tridentate, the process at the inner angle of 

 each extending as far as the apex of the first tarsal joint, that of 

 the posterior as long, but more slender. Antenna short, basal joint 

 with a few coarse hairs in front and many slender ones behind, 

 fifth joint prolonged inwardly, so that the club is four-jointed. 



This species most nearly resembles 0. sandageri. 



Length, 5|-6 ; breadth, 3-3| lines. 



Ashburton. Named in honour of Mr. W. W. Smith, who kindly 

 sent about half a. dozen specimens. This is another insect that will 

 probably prove very destructive to crops and grass if not checked in 

 time. 



2515. O. piciceps, n.s. Suboblong, opaque ; head a little 

 shining, piceous, with rufescent margins ; thorax dark-fuscous; elytra 

 pale-brown, with numerous dark spots, usually in lines between the 

 striae ; legs testaceous, abdomen infuscate ; the sternum more or less 

 testaceous, with slender pale hairs ; clothed above with decumbent, 

 rather short, yellowish hairs, the sides with long ones. 



Head coarsely punctured, clypeus obtusely rounded in front. 

 Thorax widest near the middle ; front angles prominent, posterior 

 rounded ; finely and closely punctured, the apical margin smooth. 

 Elytra indistinctly striate, but with series of fine punctures. The 

 hind angles of the metasternum rather acutely prolonged and 

 curved. 



