378 Dr. D. Sharp on 



The number of genera of Aleocharidse with only four joints 

 to the posterior tarsi is so small that the above characters are 

 sufficient at present for the identification of the insect from 

 which they are taken. It is of short convex form, somewhat 

 intermediate in appearance between Brachida and Oligota. 

 The maxillary palpi are small and short, the sides of the 

 prothorax are very acutely inllexed, and the front coxffi are 

 oblique, rather perpendicular in direction ; the mesosternum 

 is produced between the middle coxee, forming a process very 

 slender at the extremity and touching the raised margin on 

 the front of the metasternum, which forms an angle immedi- 

 ately behind the coxse without being produced between them. 

 The basal joint of the hind tarsus is extremely short, project- 

 ing but little beyond the apex of the tibia ; the second and 

 third joints are short and equal, the fourth joint is longer 

 than the other three together, and has beneath an excision 

 giving rise in certain positions to an appearance of its forming- 

 two joints. 



In an arrangement of the Aleocharidse where predomi- 

 nance is given to the tarsal structure, the genus will be placed 

 at the commencement of the Oligotina. 



Protinodes puncticollis^ n. sp. 



Brcvis, convexiis, dilute rufus, brevissime pubescens ; thorace ely- 



trisque fortiter puuctatis, abdomine subtiliter punctato. 

 Long. 21 millim. 



Antennse rather short, not stout, fourth joint small, very 

 much smaller than the fifth, fifth to tenth differing little from 

 one another in length, each a little broader than its prede- 

 cessor, tenth about as long as broad, terminal joint longer 

 than the tenth. Head small, with convex eyes, densely and 

 coarsely punctate. Thorax strongly transverse, short at the 

 sides, the base greatly rounded, the surface closely and 

 coarsely punctured. Elytra rather longer than the thorax^ 

 coarsely punctate, rather shining. Hind body short, convex 

 beneath, the upper surface finely and rather indistinctly 

 punctured, the penultimate segments vaguely darker in colour. 



Tokio ; three very mutilated specimens. 



Subfam. Tacrtpobinm. 



This subfamily proves to be extremely well represented in 

 Japan, and the fauna is in this respect more similar to that of 

 North America than to that of Europe. 



