986 Transactions.— Zoology. 
front part greatly deflexed, its carina contiguous with base of elytra; its 
surface without sculpture, but exhibiting a peculiar silky opacity, and 
clothed with distinct scanty hairs. Elytra rather deeply striated, but the 
strie only indistinctly punctured. Legs rather long, yellowisli. 
Sent both from Auckland and Tairua by Messrs. Lawson and Broun. 
Obs. I. This minute little species, which is of the size and form of an 
Atomaria, is variable in colour and size. Sometimes it is nearly entirely 
black, with the legs and basal portion of the antenne paler; in others the 
general colour of the upper surface is yellow, with the middle of the thorax 
and variable marks on the elytra of a dark colour. 
Obs. II. In this species the diminution of the head and rostrum seems 
to reach the greatest point it attains in the Anthribide. The antenns are 
inserted in a cavity situated at the inner side and front part of the eye, 
which is small, but prominent, and about circular in form. The natural 
position of the head seems to be that of deflection or inflection ; and the 
prosternum is much reduced in size, so that in the position of repose the 
head is brought near to the mesosternum. The basal line of the thorax is 
curved forwards along the sides, but is fine and indistinct ; the front coxæ 
are continuous, and the middle ones are only a little separated from one 
another; the metasternum is very short; the penultimate dorsal segment 
of the hind body is deeply grooved for the extremity of the elytra, and the 
groove extends to the basal part of the pygidium. The basal joint of the 
tarsi is rather small ; the second is distinctly emarginate ; and the exposed 
part of the third joint is scarcely so large as the second. 
I do not know any very near ally of this insect, of which the place in 
classification at present should be near to Choragus. It is undoubtedly 
closely allied to Anthribus inflatus, but differs therefrom by the diminished 
basal portion of the prothorax. 
Anthribus inflatus, n. sp. 
A. eapite haud rostrato, oculis minoribus sat convexis, piceus, nitidus, 
nudus, antennis pedidusque testaceis, illarum clava infuscata ; pro- 
thorace parce punctato, lateribus, rotundatis, carina a basi sat 
remota; elytris minus fortiter, striato-punctatis. Long. corp. 14-13 
m.m. 
Var. Prothoracis marginibus et elytrorum basi apiceque plus minusve 
dilutioribus. 
Antenne about as long as the thorax, yellow, with the club infuscate, 
the joints bearing fine and somewhat scanty, but quite distinct outstanding 
sete ; first joint dilated towards the extremit , and rounded on the inner 
side ; second joint almost as long as first and rather more slender than it; 
joints 3-8 slender, each shorter than its predecessor ; joints 9-11 forming a 
