54 Capt. T. Broun on new 



Abdomen with five segments, the bnsal four nearly equal, 

 fifth very short, scarcel3' visible toAiavds tlie sides. 



This genns is closely allied to Odontria, and should pre- 

 cede it in the New Zealand list. The typical sj ecies of 

 Itoth genera, however, difPer in shape and general aj)peav- 

 ance, and may be distinguished almost at a glance. In 

 Odufitria tlie metastcrmnu is moderately elongate, and the 

 middle femora are, in repose, received in a broad groove or 

 impression, which is limited by fine frontal and posterior 

 margins. In Prodontria the metasternum is more reduced, 

 so tliat the space between the middle and hind pairs of legs 

 is less than that between the front and intermediate ones, 

 just the reverse of ^hat obtains in the older genus, and, 

 moreover, the middle thighs have no depressions for their 

 accommodation, there being a fine elevated carina on that 

 part of the sternum, and behind it the face seems nearly 

 vertical. 



Prodontria Lewisii, sp. n. 



Robust, subovate, a little nitid, almost nude above, there 

 being only a grey fringe under the base of thorax and a few 

 erect scattered setae on the clypeus that can be easily seen; 

 colour fusco-testaceous, the legs and antennte testaceous. 



Head quite half the width of thorax, its central portion 

 di^tinctly and irregularly punctured, the clypeus coarsely 

 and rugosely punctured, the intervals minutely. Thorax 

 twice as broad as it is long, deeply and widely incurved in 

 front, anterior angles acute and attaining the middle of the 

 eyes ; its sides strongly and irregularly rounded, but in one 

 specimen there is an obsolete angulation at each side, and 

 in it the sides appear to be gradually narrowed towards the 

 base and apex; base strongly bisinuate, its angles distinct 

 but not at all projecting; the surface with distinct but finer 

 punctures than the head. Scutelhm punctate. Ehjtra 

 rounded laterally, not wider than thorax at the base, apices 

 truncate ; each elytron has eight more or less evident striae, 

 these are moderately finely and regularly punctured, but the 

 apical sculpture becomes confused and puuctiform, and the 

 outer strite are somewhat abbreviated; interstices finely and 

 irregularly punctured, in some of these punctures minute 

 setai may be detected. 



Lnderside testaceous, more or less finely punctured, spar- 

 ingly and finely pubescent, but bearing elongate silky greyish 

 hairs on the prosternum. Club of antennae composed of tour 



