Coleoptera.] 



SUBANTAECTIC ISLANDS OF NEW ZEALAND. 



97 



4- jointed but so short and compact and thickly setose that the basal joints cannot 

 be distinguished separately. Claws elongate, simple. All the coxae elongate, pro- 

 minent, and contiguous. Prosternum corneous across the middle, membranous 

 elsewhere. The ligida appears to be simple and aciculate. 



Notwithstanding the elongation of the body, the metasternum is so excessively 

 reduced that the intermediate and posterior coxae are in actual contact. This 

 character of itself is distinctive. 



Baeostethus chiltoni, sp. nov. (Plate V, fig. 7.) 



Subopaque, finely pubescent ; head and elytra obscure infuscate red ; thorax, 

 legs, and antennae fusco-testaceous ; hind-body fuscous or nigrescent, the seg- 

 ments with a short pallid basal membrane. Head broadly rounded, somewhat de- 

 pressed on the middle, closely and very minutely punctate, with 2 small indistinct 

 median foveae. Forehead rather abruptly narrowed, short, medially convex, nearly 

 smooth and shining, with a setigerous fovea at each side, truncate and with a short 

 grey membrane in front. Lahrum prominent, rounded and bearing fine yellow 

 setae in front. Eyes minute, situated at the sides in front, depressed, hardly dis- 

 cernible. There is no neck. Thorax widest in front, gradually narrowed back- 

 wards ; base truncate, apex feebly and broadly curvate ; it is without definite lateral 

 margins ; the angles are nearly rectangular ; there is a feeble median impression 

 behind ; its surface is finely and closely punctured, and bears slender greyish and 

 infuscate pubescence. Scutellum large and broad. Elytra abbreviated, shorter than 

 thorax, each strongly rounded and finely margined at the base so as to be oblique 

 towards the suture, apices subtruncate yet almost oblique inwardly, their sides 

 curvedly narrowed towards the base ; their surface dull, the sculpture concealed 

 by the pubescence, but consisting apparently of very minute distant granules. 

 Hind-body very elongate, broadly marginated, the basal 5 segments transversal, 

 each however becoming rather longer than its predecessor, 6th with short styles, 

 7th narrow and testaceous, all finely and moderately closely punctured and pubes- 

 cent. Legs slender. Femora and tibiae ciliated with fine greyish setae. 



Length, 2^ lines ; breadth, quite f line. 



Campbell Island. 



Named in honour of Professor Chilton, to whom we are indebted for the dis- 

 covery of this and some other species. 



Group OMALIDAE. 



Omalium, Gravenh. 



Mentum transversal, a little narrowed and truncated at apex. Ligida bilobed, 

 its lobes rounded. Labial falfi with the 2nd joint short, the 1st and 3rd equal ; 

 the 2nd of the maxillary moderately long, 3rd short, the apical more or less elongate 

 and almost acuminate. Lobes of the maxillae membranous ; the external slightly 

 longer than the internal, ciliated at the extremity. Mandibles short, unarmed. 

 Lahrum transversal, furnished with a short membranous border, and ciliated in 

 front. Head trigonal, provided with a rather distinct neck. Eyes moderate, rounded, 

 prominent ; ocelli situated near the margin of the eyes. Antennae gradually thick- 

 ened towards the extremity; the basal joint longer and stouter than the others; 

 7-S. 



