200 Mr. Wollastoii's Diagnostic Characters of 



The position of the present curious genus, which is 

 founded upon a minute Cossonid detected by Captain 

 Broun in New Zeahxnd, and recently communicated to me 

 by Dr. Sharp, appears to be amongst those particular types 

 of the Pcntarthrid.es in which the eyes and scutellum are 

 developed, and the body is free from every trace of pube- 

 scence ; for although Scricotrogus is the form near which I 

 should be inclined to place it, I may add tliat the coarse 

 decumbent fulvescent hairs with which that siugular little 

 insect is sparingly clothed is altogether cj-cei^t lonal in the 

 groups with which it is associated. Were it not however 

 for the existence of a scutellum I would rather have put 

 Mesoxenophasis alongside Microtrihus, — which is equally 

 peculiar (like Scricotrogus) to New Zealand, and with 

 which in its exceedingly fusiform, medially-divided out- 

 line, comparatively slender rostrum and antenna?, sub- 

 approximated eyes, and bald surface it better agrees ; 

 nevertheless the total want of a scutellum in that genus 

 throws it in reality into a different section of the sub- 

 family. 



In its minute size and pallid hue, as well as in its very 

 oval, anteriorily unconstricted prothorax, and in the fact 

 of its first and second abdominal segments being com- 

 pletely suffused inter sc, Mesoxeno2)hasis {}\\\ic\\ primd facie 

 has much the appearance of a very diminutive Amauror- 

 rhinus, or Mcsoxcnus) presents a combination of characters 

 which will still further tend to separate it from its im- 

 mediate allies. 



Mcwxcnophasis Brouni, n. sjj. 



M. fusiformis, angustus, nitidus, calvus, clare pallido- 

 castaneus ; rostro (subgracili, subparallelo) parce sed dis- 

 tincte punctulato ; capite convexo et antice minute foveo- 

 lato ; prothorace regulariter ovali (in medio sc. rotundato, 

 antice et postice tequaliter angustiore), convexo, antice 

 truncato et integro (nullo niodo constricto), uljique parce 

 et leviter punctulato ; elytris ellipticis, convexis, grosse 

 substriato-punctatis ; antennis pedibusque vix obscuri- 

 oribus, illarum capitulo sensim nigrescentiore. Subtus 

 parcissime punctatus (punctis maximis in sternis sed in 

 abdomine minutissimis, fere obsoletis). 



Long. Corp. lin. l} — 13-. 



