OF NEW ZEALAND. 1475 



2554. C. obscurus, n.s. Differs as follows from C. thoracicus : 

 The eyes are only separated by a small patch of yellow setae, so 

 that they are more approximated than in any other species. The 

 head is immersed up to the eyes, and it is evidently very narrow. 

 The second ventral segment equals the first in length. The thorax 

 is rather more contracted in front, and its apex is truncate. In 

 C. thoracicus there is a difference of level between the basal and 

 anterior portions of the rostrum at the antennal insertion ; this mark 

 is wanting in C. obscurus. In C. thoracicus the suture between the 

 first and second segments is fine and slightly curved ; the latter is 

 impunctate, the former has a round depression behind, and it is 

 longer than the other. 



Length (rost. excl.), If lines; breadth, f line. 



Mount Pirongia. One, another of Mr. Urquhart's captures. 



Phronira. 



Nov. gen. 



Rostrum cylindrical, subparallel, arched, very slightly thickened 

 towards the base. The scrobes begin about one-third of the length 

 from the apex, oblique, when they reach the head they are separated 

 below by a narrow space only. Eyes transverse, oval, placed in 

 front of the head at the sides of the rostrum, flat, just uncovered. 

 Scape flexuous, its extremity incrassate and hardly attaining the eye. 

 Fauiculus 7-articulate ; first joint longer and thicker than the second, 

 3-7 become broader. Club ovate, with minute apical joints. Thorax 

 about as long as broad, constricted in front, base subtruncate ; the 

 sides, in front, incurved, the angle of the prosternal depression is 

 obtuse, and, in repose, covers the eye. Scutellum invisible. Elytra 

 rather broader than the thorax at the base, so that the shoulders 

 overlap the basal angles of the thorax, they are narrowed and 

 abruptly bent down behind. Femora grooved at the extremity 

 underneath. Tibia flexuous, with well-developed apical hooks. 

 Tarsi short and narrow, their third joint but little expanded, entire 

 below, excavate above, fourth joint moderately slender, hardly as 

 long as the preceding three ; claws small. 



Prosternum abruptly and deeply emarginate in front (as in 

 Bantiades), depressed between this and the coxae; the raised curved 

 margins extend to the coxae, they are continued inside these, and 

 form a more or less distinct border just behind them ; this depres- 

 sion cannot be called the pectoral canal as understood when referring 

 to the Cryptorhynchidce, as it is incapable of receiving the rostrum, 

 and does not reach the base of the prosternum. Front coxes dis- 

 tinctly separated. Mesosternum extremely short. Metasternum 

 sharply truncate between the middle coxae ; these not so far apart 

 as the hind pair. Abdomen large, the suture between the hind coxae 

 bisinuate, or nearly truncate, basal segment sometimes twice as large 

 as the second, the suture between these latter often obliterated in 

 the middle ; third and fourth very short, with straight deep sutures. 



This genus should be placed near Bantiades. 



