342 Transactions. 
Family TENEBRIONIDAE. 
Paraphylax varius. (Plate 32, fig. 1.) 
Paraphylax varius Broun, Manual N.Z. Coleoptera, 1, 355. 
fungus on which it feeds. About a dozen specimens were found in 
September, almost full-grown, and the beetles emerged in February. In 
the natural state the beetle has been found from August until April. 
Single specimens have usually been discovered adhering to the under- 
surfaces of logs, but on one occasion I found over sixty specimens on à 
large detached fungus, from which evidently they had recently emerged. 
Family MELANDRYIDAE. 
Mecorchesia brevicornis. (Plate 32, fig. 3.) 
Mecorchesia brevicornis Broun, Bull. N.Z. Inst., 1, 11, 116. 
This species is rather a rare beetle around Wellington. The larva 
(Plate 32, fig. 4), which was found under the bark of a recently felled 
rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum), is a rather elongate cylindrical grub, 
wholly ochreous, smooth, and shining; segments 5 to 9 inclusive are 
furnished with very prominent dorsal humps bearing on their summits 
numerous minute hooklets ; the anal armature consists of two rather short, 
slightly recurved, horny processes. As only a single larva was found an 
reared, it is desirable that, when possible, the life-history be verified by 
the rearing of additional specimens. 
This species was temporarily named Hylobia nigricans in 1890, but 
no description has been published under that name.. Subsequently @ — 
description, which appears to refer to the same insect, was published by — 
Major Broun, in 1914, under the name of Mecorchesja brevicornis, and | — 
have adopted this name accordingly. Be 
In connection with the special armatures present on the terminal 3 
segment in each of the beetle-larvae referred to above, it may be À 
object of these remarkable structures is, I believe, to protect the larva 
from enemies approaching from behind. In many cases the burrow 18 80 
narrow that the larva cannot easily turn and bring its jaws into operation, _ 
and the need for some special means of defence from a rear attack 18 . 
therefore obvious. | 
