1365. Lissotes helmsi, (Sharp).-Ent. Mon. Mag. Aug., 1881, p. 49.-Niger, opacus, prothoracis elytrorumque marginibus squamosis; capite prothoraceque crebre punctatis, hoc lateribus rotundatis, margine anteriore leviter bisinuato, angulis posterioribus omnino latissime rotundatis; elytris sat crebre punctatis, seriebus quatuor squamorum brevium erectorum

Long. corp. (sine mandibulis), 20 mm., lat. 10 mm., male.

Head with numerous punctures on the upper surface, which, on the extreme vertex, became almost dense; the hind angles slightly prominent, but without any distinct projection. Prothorax very strongly transverse, with very numerous rather fine punctures; its front has a slight but distinct margin, which becomes obsolete in the middle, the sides are a little curved, and the hind angles. are very broadly rounded; side margins very densely covered with very short fulvous setæ or scales. Elytra short and broad, dull, with four longitudinal series of closely-packed, erect, very short fulvous setæ, and with the strongly raised side-margins very densely covered with similar setæ, the surface between the series very distinctly punctured. The upper-inner face of the hind tibie is distinctly longitudinally sulcate; the apical spurs

are broad.

The male has the mandibles short and stout, strongly curved, with a short basal tooth, which overlaps the labrum, and a very large tooth in the middle, which, when the mandibles are closed, meets the opposite mandibles just in front of but below the labrum. The female is unknown.

Found at Greymouth, west coast of New Zealand by Mr. Helms, in recognition of whose successful researches I have named the species. There is not, I believe, any species at all similar to it known as occurring in New Zealand.

DYNASTIDE.

Maxillary palpi tri

Phycocus, gen. nov.-Body convex, ovate. articulate, their terminal joint elongate, straight externally, obtusely rounded inwardly, sub-securiform; labial shorter, twojointed, the apical robust, obtuse. Antennae eight-jointed, basal elongate, cylindric; 2nd shorter, dilated outwardly; 3-5 short, obconical; club compact, large, tri-articulate. Mentum with two large, divergent, triangular lobes. Head large, so formed as to conceal the organs of the mouth; antennal cavities large, capable of receiving the whole of the antennæ. Eyes apparently absent, quite invisible. Prothorax transverse. Scutellum small, triangular. Elytra completely covering the pygidium. Legs stout; posterior femora considerable distended, the others narrow, sub-parallel; anterior tibia tri-dentate, with an inner calcar, between which and the outer tooth the tarsus is inserted ; posterior somewhat compressed, nearly straight, apex lunate outwardly, having a carina on the inner and outer edges, the intermediate space concave, the tarsus inserted in the hollow, with two foliaceous spurs beyond. Tarsi seemingly normal, all mutilated, three joints only

intact. Anterior and posterior coxa contiguous, middle pair moderately distant. Abdomen transversely convex, so that the sides are far from being on the same plane as the epipleuræ.

The structure of this highly intertsting form is so abnormal that a new group must be added to the Dynastide for its reception

1366. Phycocus graniceps, n. sp.-Glabrous pitchy-brown, head. infuscate-red, legs ferruginous, antennæ and palpi fulvous.

Head large, convex, rounded, slightly notched at apex, covered with granules. Prothorax short, marginated, base truncate, apex emarginated to the width of the head, angularly rounded laterally, destitute of angles, with the exception of a basal groove and two indistinct frontal foveæ, unimpressed. Elytra convex, narrowed towards the base, rounded and gradually deflexed posteriorly; their sculpture consists of obsolete striæ, the sutural only distinct. Antenna pubescent. Tibia (save the anterior) roughly sculptured, denticulate and hispid on the edges.

When examined sideways it will be seen that the most elevated part is behind the base of the elytra, from thence the slope is gradual.

Length, 12; breadth, nearly 1 line.

I found one individual amongst sea-weed north of Whangarei Harbour.

EUCNEMIDE.

1367. Neocharis cylindrata, n. sp.-Narrow, nearly cylindrical, not slender, pubescent, somewhat variegate; antennæ obscure black, head blackish, body dark-brown, shining, the thoracic apex and posterior angles and elytral base rufescent, legs reddish, tarsi yellowish.

Head densely punctate. Prothorax broader than long, rather closely but very finely punctulated. Scutellum nude and unimpressed. Elytra very slightly narrowed behind, shoulders very little elevated, rugulose, obsoletely striated, the sutural striæ deeply sunk apically. Antennæ short and stout, of nearly equal thickness throughout, not serrate, as long as head and thorax; basal joint as long as the following three conjointly, 2nd and 3rd short, but decidedly longer than 4th (united), joints 4-10 about equal, nearly quadrate, 11th oval.

The clothing is rather dense and consists of short yellow hairs. Eyes rather large, longitudinally oval, not prominent, so that the genal space appears to be on the same plane if not actually a little dilated. The antennal cavities are large, with slightly carinated edges, the hind line touches the eye just between the front and middle.

Male, 15% long; nearly 1⁄2 line broad.

I caught two at Waitakerei; the second, probably the female, is nearly two lines in length.

1368. Talerax tenuis, n. sp.-Black, shining, gradually narrowed posteriorly; legs and basal joint of the antennæ infuscate, tarsi testaceous; clothed with short greyish hairs.

Head densely and rugosely sculptured. Prothorax transversal, its apex finely carinated, anterior angles depressed, posterior prominent and a little incurved at the extremity; its surface is finely and distantly punctulated. Elytra elongate, gradually and slightly narrowed behind, apices obtuse; each has a sutural stria most deeply impressed at the base and apex, and a broad, oblique basal depression, causing the shoulder to seem considerably elevated; the sculpture appears confused, the punctures being sometimes in rows, but never coarse. Antennæ relatively stout, as long as the body, 2nd joint very short, 4th shorter than 3rd; they are almost filiform.

Length, 13%; breadth, 3% line.

I found one, most likely a male, at Waitakerei. It is the smallest Eucnemid described as yet.

1369. Protelater nigricans, (Sharp). Ent. Mon. Mag., Aug., 1881, p. 50.

Elongatus, angustulatus, sub-cylindricus, niger, sparsim tenuiter pubescens, sat nitidus, prothoracis angulis posterioribus picescentibus, abdomine nigropiceo, lateribus rufis.

Long II, lat 234-2% mm.

This species is the largest Protelater yet discovered, and may thus be easily identified, also by its black colour, comparatively shining surface, and scanty pubescence. The thorax is shining, rather sparingly and distinctly punctured, the elongate hindangles are much directed outwards; the elytra are rather deeply striate, the striæ distinctly punctured; the interstices are more finely and sparingly punctured, the 3rd, 5th, and 7th are, beyond the middle, more elevated than the others.

The colour of this species is very probably variable; compared with the large variety of P. elongatus, I find that P. nigricans, independent of the colour and sculpture, is distinguished by more elongate antennæ, and by the hind angles being more abruptly directed outwards.

Greymouth, Helms.

NOTE. Dr. Sharp's Chrosis violacea (Ent. Mon. Mag., Aug., 1881, p. 49) is identical with No. 1188 (Part II, p. 681); the colour of his specimen is probably brighter than mine.

ELATERIDE.

Psorochroa, n.gen.-Head small, obliquely narrowed and carinated towards the front, the middle obtuse, confounded with the clypeus, the latter indistinguishable; labrum prominent, rounded, nearly on the same plane as the forehead, separated from it by a deep channel; mandibles robust, bi-dentate at apex. Antennae half