Coleoptera from New Zealand. 423 



frontal membrane. The antennce reach the base of the thorax, 

 the basal three joints are shining piceous, the slender stalk- 

 like basal portions of the fourth and fifth are quite red, joints 

 4 to 11 opaque andj except the eleventh, obconical. Thorax 

 almost as long as broad, anterior angles depressed, sides 

 nearly straight, base rounded ; on each side of the middle 

 there is a longitudinal series of three very distinct punctures, 

 one nearer the head is not in line with either of these series, 

 being situated more towards the side ; there are a few other 

 punctures near tiie sides and basal margin. Scutellum large, 

 closely punctate. Elytra subquadrate, finely and closely 

 punctured, densely covered with fine cinereous pubescence. 

 Hind body elongate, finely sculptured, its clothing greyish 

 yellow, styles moderate. 



This can hardly be confounded with Sharp^s Q. insoUtus ; 

 the shape of the thorax is different, the head is differently 

 marked, and the posterior tarsi of Q. insoUtus have short 

 basal articulations. 



Length o-|, breadth | line. 



West Plains, Invercargill. Mr. Alfred Philpott kindly 

 forwarded one of each sex. 



Var. ? . — Antennas shorter, first joint pale castaneous ; 

 head nearly smooth behind the eyes ; thorax with four punc- 

 tures in each longitudinal series, exclusive of the supple- 

 mentary frontal one, the punctures near the basal margin 

 indistinct or absent ; the pubescence on elytra yellow. 



Quedius ambiguus^ sp. n. 



Elongate^ black ; head and thorax brilliant, hind body 

 iridescent. 



Head almost as broad as the thorax, with a row of four 

 punctures along the inner margin of each eye and two larger 

 ones between the series in front. Lahriim not deeply notched ; 

 the membranous space behind it is short and dark. Eyes 

 slightly prominent, large, occupying two thirds of the side 

 of the head. ^wfew??ce as long as the head and thorax, the 

 basal two joints dark red, 4 to 11 opaque, tenth longer than 

 broad. Thorax rather broader than long, with a pair of punc- 

 tures before the middle. Elytra sligiitly broader than long, 

 closely and finely punctate, with slender ash-coloured pubes- 

 cence. Hind body more or less seneo-violaceous, its clothing 

 a little more flavescent than that of the elytra. Legs varie- 

 gated castaneous or piceous. 



