1888.] COLEOPTERA OF CHRISTMAS ISLAND. 539 



Sessinia, sp. 



Ceresium nigrum, n. sp. 



MONOHAMMUS NATIVITATIS, 11. Sp. 



Praonetha perplexa, n. sp. 



MlCRACANTHA, Sp. 



Epilachna, sp. 



A small Curculiouid, and three small Elateridse, belonging to three 

 distinct species. 



Par^gus, n. g. 



Allied to ^gus, from which it differs by the form of the mandibles. 

 These, in the male, are sharply bent inwards and are at the same 

 time directed forwards and upwards, so that their apices, when they 

 meet in the middle line, are on a level with the vertex of the head. 

 In the fully developed male each mandible is armed with a tubercular 

 tooth on its up|)er (or, in this case, posterior) internal border at a 

 short distance from the apex. The form of its mandibles brings this 

 genus into relation with the Australian genus Lmofes ; its remaining 

 characters are those of ^gus. 



Par^gus listeri, n. sp. 



S . Piceo-brunneus, nitidus, mandibulis prope apicem unidentatis; 

 capite supra in medio minute et sparse punctulato, ad latera 

 pone oculos grosse punctata ; prothorace supra sparse punctu- 

 lato, lateribus parallelis ; ehjtris l2-striatis cum intervallis 

 punctulatis. 



Long, corporis 17 millim. ; long, mandibuli 4 millim. 



The mandibles are provided each with a process on its inner lower 

 side at the base ; these processes meet in the middle line when the 

 mandibles are closed, and their posterior border is then concealed 

 beneath the clypeus. The tubercular tooth which each mandible 

 bears near its apex is distinct only in the fully developed males. 

 The head above is minutely and sparsely punctured in the middle, 

 more grossly at the sides, especially behind the eyes. The latter are 

 completely divided by the ocular canthus. The prothorax is sparsely 

 punctured above. The elytra have each six strias, the outermost of 

 which are feebly marked and consist of rows of closely approximated 

 punctures ; the intervals between the striae as well as the sides of the 

 elytra are punctured. The anterior tibiae are armed along their 

 outer border with four or five spines ; the intermediate and posterior 

 tibiae have each a single spine below the middle. Six male specimens. 

 The measurements given above are those of the largest. 



In the collection of H.M.S. ' Flying-Fish,' from Christmas Island, 

 which was presented to the British Museum, there occurs a single 

 female, which was placed in the genus ^yus ; it is probably the 

 female of the present species. The mandibles have each a single 



