gulis posterioribus elongatis, valde divergentibus; coxis intermediis fere contiguis. Long. 8 m. m.

This species is extremely similar to the preceding one, but it has the middle coxæ nearly contiguous.

The only individual I have seen was found in Otago by Captain Hutton.

55. Protelater guttatus, n. sp.

P. sat elongatus, angustus, subcylindricus, fortiter punctatus, tenuiter pubescens, haud nitidus, nigricans vel infuscato-rufus, antennarum basi, pedibus, prothoracisque angulis posterioribus testaceis, elytris plus minusve distincte testaceo signatis; antennis sat elongatis, subserratis; prothorace dense, fortiter profundeque punctato, angulis posterioribus sat divergentibus; elytris fortiter seriatim punctatis, sed vix striatis. Long. 5-6 m. m.

The female is rather broader than the male, but otherwise scarcely differs.

Sent from Auckland by Mr. Lawson. I have also lately received a specimen from Captain Broun as No. 42, and with the information that it was found on trees at Cabbage-Tree Swamp, Auckland.

56. Protelater picticornis, n. sp.

P. sat elongatus, angustus, fortiter punctatus, tenuiter pubescens, vix nitidus, rufescens, antennarum basi, articulis tribus ultimis pedibusque testaceis, antennis medio, prosterno, thoracisque vittis duabus nigricantibus, elytris oblique fusco-plagiatis, maculis magnis ante apicem testaceis; thorace crebre, fortiter profundeque punctato, sat nitido, angulis posterioribus divergentibus; elytris fortiter seriatim punctatis. Long. 5 m. m.

This species approaches closely to the reddish varieties of Protelater guttatus, but has the apical joints of the antennæ yellow, and shows also some slight structural differences; the middle coxæ are a little closer, the metasternum is less advanced between them, and the mesosternal cavity is not quite so parallel-sided and is rather broader in its hind part.

A single specimen was sent me by Captain Broun some time ago as No. 199; but I do not know whether it was found near Auckland or Tairua.

57. Protelater opacus, n. sp.

P. sat elongatus, angustus, fortiter dense punctatus, opacus, evidenter pubescens, rufescens, prosterno medio diluto, lateribus infuscatis, antennis nigris, basi, pedibus, prothoracis angulis posterioribus, elytrisque macula ante apicem testaceis; prothorace dense fortiter punctato, opaco, elongato, angulis posteriori

bus divergentibus; elytris fortiter profundeque seriato-punctatis, vix striatis, opacis. Long. 5-6 m. m.

This species, though closely allied to P. guttatus and P. picticornis, may be distinguished by a glance at the underside of the thorax, which is pale along the middle, with the flanks infuscate; it is considerably duller above, the elytra are palish red at the base, with the apical half darker reddish and a pale yellow spot placed in this darker part; these markings on the elytra vary considerably in their definiteness.

Two individuals have been sent me from Tairua by Captain Broun; and I have seen others in Messrs. Pascoe's and Wakefield's collections from the same source.

Group 19.-These species have the following characters :Forehead greatly produced between the antennæ, the produced portion with a slightly thickened lateral edge, these edges towards their anterior part divergent, so as to form a portion of an under margin to the large and deep antennal spaces; the labrum is small, but quite visible between the divergent processes at the termination of the forehead. The antennæ are slender and but little serrate; chin-piece of thorax very short, truncate in front, separated by a short wide notch from the front angles of the prosternum. Thorax elongate and subcylindric, its process thick and straight; mesosternal cavity rather broadest at its hind part, with thin, sharp edges, which are directed downwards. Middle coxæ moderately or only slightly separated. Coxal lamina slightly longer outside than inwardly. Tarsi with 3rd and 4th joints with membranous lobes.

Though the structural characters of these species are on the whole very similar to those of Group 18 (Geranus), yet the laterally dilated front of the forehead points out the present group as an interesting connecting link between them and the Eucnemides. The peculiar narrow form and elongate. cylindric thorax of the species give them a facies by which they may be readily recognized.

These interesting insects have an undescribed ally in Chili, which, Mr. Janson informed me, was considered by Candeze not to be a member of the Elaterida. But I think there is no doubt that these New-Zealand species may be placed in the Elateride; they offer, however, an important obstacle to the separation of the Throscida and Eucnemidæ from the Elateride as distinct families. The structure of their head is, in fact, such that by a little modification it might be transformed into the head of a Eucnemid or a Throscid.

58. Neocharis varia, n. sp.

N. supra rufescens, dense variegato-tomentosa; antennis basi apiceque rufescentibus, medio fuscis; subtus fusca, pronoti lateribus abdomineque rufescentibus; pedibus testaceis; prothorace dense punctato, conspicue variegato-pubescente, anterius medio leviter impresso, disco utrinque vage infuscato, et densius subtiliusque punctato; elytris densius punctatis, punctis basin versus parcioribus, stria suturali dimidiata apice profunda et hamata, perconspicue variegato-pubescentibus. Long. 5 m. m.

The prosternal sutures in this species are not (or scarcely perceptibly) impressed in front. I think I have the sexes before me; and if so, the differences are slight.

A single individual has been sent me from Tairua by Captain Broun; and there are others from the same source in the possession of Messrs. Wakefield and Pascoe.

59. Neocharis pubescens, n. sp.

N. rufo-fusca, variegato-tomentosa, pedibus testaceis, antennis basi apiceque minus læte rufescentibus; prothorace crebre, fortiter, æqualiterque punctato, pubescentia minus variegata; elytris crebre punctatis, conspicue variegato-pubescentibus, stria suturali dimidiata, apice profunda et hamata, et ad basin striarum obsoletarum rudimentis. Long. 5 m. m.

Though very similar to the preceding species, this has the thorax darker and rather more coarsely and deeply punctured, and the prosternal sutures have in front a large and deep impression.

I have seen but a single specimen, which was sent me from Tairua by Captain Broun.

60. Neocharis simplex, n. sp.

N. angustula, nigra; thorace antrorsum angustato, parce punctato et pubescente, nitido, pubescentia grisea; elytris crebre subtiliterque punctatis, densius pubescentibus, pubescentia fere concolori, stria suturali tantum postice impressa, apice hamata perprofunda. Long. 4 m. m.

The only individual I have seen is no doubt a male; it has the antennæ very long (3 millims.), but little serrate internally, with the 2nd and 3rd joints subequal, together shorter than the 4th.

Received from Captain Broun; but I have no information as to exact locality.

61. Neocharis concolor, n. sp.

N. nigra; thorace antrorsum sat angustato, parce punctato, et pubescente, nitido, pubescentia grisea; elytris minus elongatis, subparallelis, posterius minus angustatis, apice rotundatis, sat nn. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 4. Vol. xix.

33

dense fusco-nigro pubescentibus, nullo modo striatis, sed seriebus punctorum sat distinctis, interstitiis crebre subtiliter punctatis, serie suturali ad apicem impressa. Long. 3 m. m.

The male has the antennæ very elongate (3 millims.), stout and strongly serrate; 2nd and 3rd joints about equal and very short, together shorter than the 4th joint. In the female the antennæ are shorter (2 millims.), rather stout, but not serrate; the 3rd joint is a little longer than the 2nd, so that the two together are rather longer than the 4th joint.

The species, though extremely similar to Neocharis simplex, may be distinguished at a glance by the rows of distant punctures on the elytra.

This species has been sent from Tairua by Captain Broun.

Group 20.-Species Nos. 58 to 61 have the following characters:

Antennæ very approximate at their insertion; front of the head much dilated laterally below the antennæ, so as to leave an oblique depression near the eye, in which the basal joint of the antennæ is received when retracted. Labrum not visible, the front of head being terminated by a sharp edge, behind which the labrum is concealed. Thorax short, without chinpiece, without grooves for antennæ, with a short process, which is curved upwards behind the coxæ. Mesosternal cavity short and broad. Lamina of hind coxæ without trochanteral lobe. Tarsi simple, with all the joints simple, or with the 4th very obscurely emarginate, basal joint as long as the three following together; 5th joint either very or moderately short.

The position of these insects is evidently in the Eucnemides, near the European and North-American Xylobius and Hylochares.

62. Talerax distans, n. sp.

T. angustulus, subparallelus, rufo-castaneus, pubescens, sat nitidus; oculis magnis; prothorace subquadrato, angulis posterioribus elongatis, antrorsum subangustato, sat crebre et fortiter punctato, nitido; elytris subtiliter sat crebre punctatis, punctis vix seriatis, sine stria suturali, sed ad apicem foveis profundis. Long. 44 m. m.

In the male the antennæ are very long (33 millims.), while in the female their length is only 2 millims.

Taken by Captain Broun at Tairua on Leptospermum, and sent to me as Nos. 35 and 36.

Group 21.-This species has the head formed much as in Neocharis, but the mouth-piece depressed in front, so that the

minute transverse labrum is visible. Antennæ with very short 2nd joint and very elongate 3rd joint. Thorax beneath with a very broad deep lateral groove, which starts in front, right across the prosternal suture, and then crosses to the outside of it, so that the sutural line is rendered very indistinct by this groove; the groove is bordered externally by a raised line, which at first sight might be mistaken for the line of the prosternal suture. Hind coxal lamina much produced over the trochanters. Tarsi slender, with 4th joint minutely lobed.

This species should be placed in the Eucnemides; but I cannot point out any near ally for it at present.

XLVIII.-Description of a new Species of Phasmidæ from the Malay Peninsula. By Prof. J. WOOD-MASON, Deputy Superintendent, Indian Museum, Calcutta.

Lonchodes valgus, sp. nov.

. Body about the same length and thickness as that of L. artemis, Westw., cylindrical, obsoletely granulated above and below, with a fine raised median dorsal line extending from the apex of the mesothorax to the end of the penultimate abdominal segment. Antennæ (tips broken off) moderately long and fine-setaceous; basal joint large, dilated, oval, longitudinally carinate above. Head short, thick, and very convex, its disk sloping to the insertion of the antennæ and to the occiput, from which it widens to the eyes; armed with a pair of great spoon-shaped oval horns, the front margins of which are straight and the hinder arcuate, and the apices of which are slightly bilobed. Eyes small. Mesothorax slightly tapering in front, the metathorax widening slightly to the insertion of the posterior legs. Penultimate dorsal segment of the abdomen with a rugose boss at its hinder extremity; the last carinate, grooved to the base, and divided at the apex by an emargination into two rounded lobes. Supraanal plate concealed. Cerci minute, conical. Operculum shaped much as in L. cuniculus, Westw., but not quite reaching the extremity of the abdomen. Fore femora serrated along the upper crest; intermediate and posterior ones curved, the former very strongly so; all subtriquetrous and armed below near the apex with a strong triangular tooth, and above with one or two spinules on each crest; the intermediate femora have also a well-developed foliaceous lobe at the base of the lower and inner crest. Tibiæ all triquetrous, slightly curved, and pro