Bates. — On the Geodephagous Coleoptera of New Zealand. 307 



The precise locality of this distinct species (9 lines long) is not known. I 

 have one example obtained from a New Zealand collection, probably from the 

 Southern Island. 



The genus Holcaspis resembles in general form the parallel species of 

 Pterostichus, having, like them, very short metathoracic episterna and the 

 marginal stria of the elytra duplicated towards the apex. It is distinguished 

 by the base of the scutellum being scored by a number of short fine lines j this 

 character, however, is seen in some European species of the Feronia group — 

 e. g. Uai^toderus ahaxoides, Dej., Tapinopterus cephalotes, Gaut., and others. 



Haptoderus maorinus, n. sp. 



H. oblongus, nigro-piceus, M. nitidus, P. elytris sericeo-subopacis j palpis 

 pedibus, antennisque plus minusve piceo-rufis j capite foveis frontalibus vix 

 impressis ; thorace quadrato, lateribus antice paulo rotundatis, post medium 

 leviter sinuato-angustatis, angulis posticis paulo productis rectis, fovea basali 

 utrinque unica profunda, toto impunctato ; elytris postice paulo angustatis, 

 apice hand sinuatis, striis profundis simplicibus, interstitio tertio bipunctato. 

 Long. 3J— 3| lin. M. F. 



Christchurch (0. M. Wakefield, Esq). 



Similar in form to Holcaspis sylvatica, but wanting the essential character 

 of the group — the striated base of the scutellum. In all essential characters 

 it agrees with the European Haptoderi. The palpi have the terminal joints 

 narrowed to the tip and very briefly (the maxillaries in the male not at all) 

 truncated. The head is rather small, and shows scarcely any trace of the 

 usual frontal fovese ; the thorax has on each side of the base a single deep, 

 almost sulciform, fovea, and its whole surface is impunctate. The elytra have 

 a well-developed scutellar striole between the suture and the first stria ; the 

 interstices are plain in the subopaque female and a little more convex in the 

 shining male, but in both sexes they become narrow and convex at the apex, 

 and the first stria is continued round the apex to the marginal stria. 



Argutor erythropus, Blanch,, as far as the very insufficient description 

 goes, agrees with this species j but no mention is made of the two punctures 

 on the third interstice. 



Argutor pantomelas^ Blanch. Yoy. au Pole Sud, Zool. iv., p. 27, t.ii. f.6. 



8 — 9 millims. Bather broad, black j elytra nearly plane ; palpi clear red ; 

 thorax with two lineiform fovese on each side. 



The description almost applies to the 0. (^Holcaspis) sylvaticus of the same 

 author j and the species probably belongs to Holcaspis. 



Argutor erythropuSy Blanch. I. c. p. 27, t.ii. f.7. 

 Probably a Haptoderus, 



