244 Mr. H. W. Bates on the Geodejjhagous 



shorter and the thorax rather longer than in that species. The 

 thorax is very nearly as long as broad, and is somewhat re- 

 gularly and slightly rounded on the sides, the greatest width 

 being in the middle ; behind it is very much less sinuate, and 

 the hind angles are less produced than in subcenea ; the basal 

 fovea also is larger, and offers on its outer slope a distinct second 

 smaller fovea ; but some trace of this is visible in well-deve- 

 loped examples of subcenea. The hind legs are remarkably 

 short, and the femora are widely dilated beneath, forming a 

 tooth, between Avhich and the base is lodged the elongated tro- 

 chanter. 



One example ; in my own collection. Exact locality un- 

 known. 



Holcaspis elongella^ White, I. c. p. 4. 

 Christchurch. Several examples from Mr. Fereday. 



Holcaspis ovafella, Chaud. Bull. Mosc. 1865, iii. p. 103. 



Distinguished by its three punctures on the third interstice 

 of the elytra ; otherwise similar to II. elongella. 



The precise locality of this distinct species (9 lines long) is 

 not known. I have one example obtained from a New-Zealand 

 collection, probably from the Southern Island. 



The genus Holcaspis resembles in general form the parallel 

 species of Pterostichus^ having, like them, very short metatho- 

 racic episterna and the marginal stria of the elytra duplicated 

 towards the apex. It is distinguished by the base of the 

 scuteUum being scored by a number of short fine lines ; this 

 character, however, is seen in some European species of the 

 Feronia group — e. g. Haptoderus abaxoides, Dej., Tapinopterus 

 cephalotes, Gaut.j and others. 



Haptodems maormus, n. sp. 



H. oblongus, nigro-piceus, c? nitidus, $ elytris sericeo-subopacis ; 

 palpis, pedibus, antennisque phis minusve piceo-rufis ; capite 

 foveis froutahbus vix impressis ; thorace quadrato, lateribus an- 

 tice paulo rotundatis, post medium levitcr sinuato-angustatis, 

 anguiis posticis paulo productis reetis, fovea basali iitrinque uniea 

 profunda, toto impunctato ; elytris postice paulo angustatis, apice 

 haud sinuatis, striis profundis simplicibiis, interstitio tertio bipuuc- 

 tato. Long. 3|-3| lin. S 2 • 



Christchurch (O. 31. Wakefield, Esq.). 



Similar in form to Holcaspis sylvatica, but wanting the 

 essential character of the grouj) — the striated base of the scu- 

 teUum. In all essential characters it agree,s with the European 



