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TRANSACTIONS
OF THE
Gutomologicul Society
OF
NEW SOUTH WALES.
VOL. II.
ener
YDNEY: PRINTED, PUBLISHED, AND SOLD FOR THE SOCIETY BY J. READING & CO., BRIDGE STREET, And Sold by Trusner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, London.
1873.
i Shi QS CA SRT LU Ts
CONTENTS OF VOL. IL
——____»ee—____
On the Anthicide of Australia, by the Rev. R. L. Kina, B.A. On the genus Charagia of Walker, by A. W. Scort, M.A.... On a new genus of Hepialide, by A. W. Scort, M.A.
On the Agrotis vastator, by A. W. Scott, M.A.
On Ornithoptera Cassandra, by A. W. Scort, M.A....
Description of a new species of Articerus, by the Rev. R. L. Kine, B.A....
On the Scaritide of New Holland, by Witt1am MacLray, B08.
On the Byrrhide of Australia, by the Rzv. R. L. Kine, B.A. The genus Hiketes, by the Rrv. R. L. Kine, B.A. ... The Insects of Gayndah, by Witttam MacLmay, F.LS. ... On Australian Entozoa, by Gzrarp Kreurrt, F.L.S..., New species of Stephanopis, by H. H. Burton-Brapiey, Esq.
The Inseets of Gayndah, (2nd Paper), by Wi1tt1am MacLray, E.i.S8.
“ Miscellanea Entomologica,’ by WittiamM MacLnay, F.L.S.
54
58 71 76 79 206
233
239
319
ai si) a
OH |
if
ERRATA.
In pages 58, 60, and 61,—
For Baron de Chandoir, read “‘ Baron de Chaudoir.”’
Description of the Anthicides of Australia, by Rev. R. L. Kine, B.A.
[Read 7th January, 1867. ]
THE small insects which compose this very natural family are distinguished from other Heteromera by the separation of their posterior legs, and by the extension of the anterior edge of the first segment of the abdomen in a (generally) triangular form. This appears the most certain distinction, though even this is shared to some extent by some of the Pedilides of La-Cordaire. In this family, however, the intercoxal plate when it exists is small and narrow. Although, therefore, it is separated by some authors, it is united to the Anthicide by others. I have met with but one member of the abnormal group, and_ therefore have not felt it necessary to separate it from the more numerous family to which it is certainly very closely allied.
The Australian species of the Anthicide are more numerous than was at first supposed, M. Vereaux having reported that but 9 were found in Oceanie. Instead of 9, no fewer than 48, belonging to 5 different genera, are already known to me as Austra- lian: of all but five I have had specimens under examination. I have been permitted to describe the species in the Museum collection, and in that of Mr. Macleay. So that together with my own collected at Paramatta, and those received from Gawler in South Australia from my friend Mrs. Kreusler, my list is at least a good instalment, although eventually the number of species may be at least doubled. Mr. Masters collected several species during his late visit to Western and South Australia, while Queensland is represented by several elegant species received by Mr. Macleay from Port Denison. From Victoria, I have not as yet had any specimens.
Of the Australian species some have a very extensive range, indeed the Anthicus floralis is common to Australia and Europe, and several are, to judge by the descriptions, almost identical with species from the Cape of Good Hope. One species Anthicus bifasciatus extends from Sydney to King George’s
2 DESCRIPTION OF ANTHICIDES OF AUSTRALIA,
Sound, and would therefore deserve the name Australis, had not the name Australasie been already appropriated to what appears to be a far more local species.
By far the greater number of the Australian species, as indeed of the species from other parts of the world belong to the typical genus Anthicus. M. de La Ferte-Senectere in his monograph
(which I have followed as closely as possible), has included no -
less than 208 of this genera, out of 295 of the true Anthicide. The present paper adds 32 out of 48.
I have not found it necessary to add to the number of genera, though Anthicus abnormis might by some have been regarded as entitled to the distinction. ‘The structure of the tarsi in which its greatest peculiarity consists is not always a safe guide to generic affinities—as the late Mr. W. 8. Macleay has well shewn.” I have, however, found considerable difficulty in following M. La Ferte-Senectere’s divisions and sub-divisions of the genus Anthicus. Some of the groups are no doubt very natural, but not others, himself being witness.
Although small in size, yet there are few families which sur- - pass the Anthicide in the beauty of colour, the elegance of form or the rapidity of motion. I know of no Australian forms except among the Buprestidz more richly painted than Anthicus niti- dissimvus, none more graceful in its shape than Mecynotarsus con- color, more nimble in its movements than Formicomus agilis. Their natural habitat too may please the most fastidious. Most of them live in flowers, whence the name of the family ; others are found under wood in grass, especially of a dewy morning; the remarkable genus Mecynotarsus is found under debris in the dried bed of the river Gawler; and lastly many are captured either flying at sunset, or on the tops of paling fences preparing for flight.
I.—PsEuDO-ANTHICITES. Genus I. Macrarrurius. La Ferte.
Macratria. Newman. é
Sp. 1. MM. australis.
Ferrugineus pubescens ; thorace ad medium olivaceo, vix
BY THE REV. R. L. KING, B.A. 3
longiori quam lato, antice rotundato postice sub-contracto et ad basin lateraliter marginato; elytris sub-parallelis piloso-striatis, ad humeros paulo thoracis basi latioribus, maculis olivaceis elongatis lateralibus obsoletis ; antennis et pedibus castaneis, Long. .10 poll. Gawler; South Australia: “in sand near debris, in the dried river bed.” Mrs. Kreusler.
The intercoxal plate is long and narrow. The spots on the thorax and elytra are of an olive colour, but are hardly distinct. This species has much the appearance of Dirccea, and comes near the Indian M. concolor.
IT.—ANTHICITES. Genus II. Noroxus. Geoffroy.
This genus which has its representatives in many parts of the world is remarkable for the prolongation of the fore part of the thorax in the shape of a horn over the head. A single Austra- lian species has been thus described by Mr. Hope, from Adelaide.
Sp. 2. N. australasie. La Ferte-Senectere.
Nigro-piceus, villosus, elytris profunde et parum confertim punctatis, pone humeros transversim depressis, ibique ma- cula una flava singulari ornatis ; antennis pedibusque sature ferrugineis.
Long. .13 poll.
Adelaide.
I have not seen this species. It belongs to the division which has the apex of the elytra of both sexes oblique truncate. The single macula near the shoulder on each elytron can hardly be mistaken. ;
Genus III. Mecynorarsus. La Ferte.
This genus, though possessed of the thoracic horn so remark- able in Notoxus, has been separated from that genus in conse- quence of the prolongation of the posterior tarsi. I have not
4 DESCRIPTION OF ANTHICIDES OF AUSTRALIA,
met with it in this neighbourhood; but I have received three species from my friend Mrs. Kreusler of Gawler, South Aus- tralia. They were all captured under debris in the dried bed of the river Gawler. Other species might probably be captured in this colony, if looked for under rubbish near the sea beach.
Sp. 3. M. Kreusleri. Nigro-cinereus ; elytris sub-parallelis brunneis fasciis duabus albis, antennis et pedibus ferrugineis. Long. .10 poll. ; Gawler; Mrs. Kreusler.
The fasciz are broad, and apparently composed of whitish sete ; at times they are almost separated at the suture, and appear as large maculee.
I have named the species after my friend Mrs. Kreusler, who was, I believe, the first to discover them as well as the two following species.
Sp. 4. WM. ziczac.
Cinereus; elytris convexis fasciis nigris anguloso-undulatis notatis ; antennis et pedibus incano-ferrugineis.
Long. .10.
Gawler; South Australia. Mrs. Kreusler.
The marking of the elytra differs somewhat in different speci- mens, but generally there are two small spots behind the shoulder of darker hue than the rest of the elytra. These spots are some- times united, while a zigzag fascia at the middle is connected at the suture with the dark apex.
Sp. 5. M. concolor. Totus cinereo-castaneus, elytris parallelis.
Long. .10 poll. Gawler; South Australia. Ms. Kreusler.
An exceedingly graceful species. The whole insect is of a cinereous chestnut colour with a very silky pubescence over thorax and elytra. There is a faint deepening of colour at the shoulders and at the middle of the elytra which may possibly in some
BY RETR GRE VAy ie i, ICING BoAt 5
varieties amount to spots, but which do not in the numerous speci- mens sent me by Mrs. Kreusler.
Genus IV. AnrTHELEPHILUS. Hope.
This genus was separated from the succeeding one, Formicomus, to receive the species without any apparent angle at the shoulders of the elytra. M. La Ferte-Senectere appears to desire to re-unite the species to Formicomus. Not having seen any of them, I am not in a position to give an opinion. Judging however from the plates of the species, I hardly think there is a necessity for the division. A single Australian species has been described by Hope in the following terms.
Sp. 6. A. cyaneus. Hope.
Capite nigro, antennis pedibusque atris.
Long. 2 lin., lat. 3 lin.
Nova Hollandia.
Antenne nigre, articulo basali crasso, reliquis extrorsum crassioribus ; thorax ovalis, antice posticeque contractus nigro-cyaneus; elytra cyanea, nitida, glaberrima; corpus subtus nigrum, pedes concolores.
Trans. Zool. Soc. Vol. I., page 101; Plate XIV., fig. 4.
Genus V. Formicomus. De la Ferte. Formicoma. Motzch.
This genus has been established for the reception of the Anthicites, which have at the same time the thighs claviform, and the elytra convex and oval. The intercoxal plate is generally large and obtuse, (truncate or ogee shaped), while in Anthicus, it is generally triangular and acute. The species composing this genus are among the largest of the whole family, often very nimble and sometimes exceedingly handsome.
Sp. 7. F. Clarkit.
Nitidus parce pilosus, capite nigro polito antennis piceis ; thorace rufo-flavescente ; elytris nigro-cyaneis post humeros
6 DESCRIPTION OF ANTHICIDES OF AUSTRALIA,
nonnihil depressis, postice rotundatis ; femoribus nigris ad basin rufescentibus, tibiis rufescentibus.
Long. .14: poll.
Gawler ; South Australia. Mrs. Kreusler.
This species comes very near I’. rubricollis Dej. from South Africa, but differs in colour of feet and puncturation of head. The last joint of the antenne is sometimes rufous. The thorax (at least in dead specimens) is sometimes piceous at the sides ; it is rounded in front but regularly contracted towards the base, yet without the sudden contraction so frequently observable.
I have named the species after the Rey. Hamlet Clark, who has described so many Australian insects.
Sp. 8. F. agilis.
Ferrugineus politus subglaber tenuissime punctulatus ; thorace longitudinaliter canaliculato, ad basin valde contracto ‘ minute tuberculato; elytris nigris humeris albo-maculatis pedibus piceis. Long. .15. Paramatta; Liverpool Plains.
The antennz are piceous at the base, but gradually becoming darker towards the extremities. The longitudinal furrow and the tubercles at the base of the thorax, together with the oblique white maculze on the shoulders of the elytra, distinguish it at a glance from all its Australian congeners. Excepting that there is a shght projection at the shoulders, this species will come very near Anthelephilus ruficollis. It appears however to be a true Formicomus.
Sp. 9. F. Denisoniz.
Ferrugineus, nitidus, parce pilosus; antennis piceis basi ferrugineo ; thorace irregulariter punctato ; elytris nigro- cyaneis pone humeros depressiusculis; femoribus basi rufa posticis non spinosis.
Long. .15.
Port Denison ; collection of Wm. MacLeay, Esq.
EE
BY THE REV. R. L. KING, B.A. 7
A very handsome species from Port Denison. It comes very near to the description of F. rubricollis from the Cape of Good Hope, but differs inter alia in its ferruginous head. I have named it after the locality in which it was captured ; and am not sorry to have so good a reason for connecting it with the late Governor General of N.S.W., who took so lively an interest in all branches of Natural History.
Sp. 10. F. speciosus.
Piceo-ferrugineus, creberrime punctatus, pubescens setis longi- oribus paucis, capite nigro; thorace antice rotundato longitrorsum canaliculato ; elytris convexis nigro-brunneis quatuor maculis elongatis transversis notatis.
Long. .18. Gawler; South Australia. Mrs. J. Kreusler.
This fine species appears to approach to the description of F’. aulicus, from India. It is, however, readily distinguished from that species by the longitudinal division of the thorax, in which it approaches Ff. agilis and F. canaliculatus. The macule on the elytra are marked by silvery sete. A single specimen in Mrs. Kreusler’s collection kindly lent me by her for description.
Sp. ll. F. quadrimaculatus.
Ferrugineus, subnitidus, pubescens, antennis gracilibus; thorace antice rotundato postice contracto elytris maculis quatuor transversis albidis, femoribus parum incrassatis.
Long. .15.
Gawler; South Australia; collected by Mrs. Kreusler, and by Mr. Masters.
This species also comes very near Ff’. aulicus. It has not the marks on the head peculiar to.that species ; and the antennz are more slender than the description of those organs of the Indian species. The spots on the elytra are transverse rather than oblique. It is easily distinguished from [". speciosus by its smaller size, and its thorax not canaliculate. It appears to be common. Date:
fa / # (a
/ /
8 DESCRIPTION OF ANTHICIDES OF AUSTRALIA,
Sp. 12. F. australis.
Pubescens niger antennis et tarsis ferrugineis ; capite minu- tissime punctato, postice quadrato;~thorace trapezoidali superne planiusculo antice transversim rotundato postice contracto ; elytris humeris subquadratis apicibus rotundatis, lateribus leviter convexis, maculis albis duabus humeralibus transversis, duabus pone medium, abdomine elongato.
Long. .09.
N.S.W. Gawler. King George’s Sound.
This species, though subject to some variation in the size of the spots, and the size of the whole insect, is easily recognizable, and occurs apparently over a large portion of the continent. It ‘ is common at Paramatta. Mrs. Kreusler and Mr. Masters have both found it in South Australia, and there are also specimens in the collection in the Museum brought by Mr. Masters from King ‘George’s Sound. It has therefore some claim to the name Australis, by which I have distinguished it.
It is a somewhat aberrant species of this genus, but the intercoxal plate is large and somewhat ogee shaped. In external appearance it much resembles the genus Anthicus. It is easily distinguished from the next species by its transverse rather than oblique spots.
It is found under stones and wood in grass, and is very active.
Sp. 18. F. obliqui-fasciatus.
Pubescens niger antennis et tarsis piceis; capite punctato postice rotundato; thorace antice rotundato postice coare- tato; elytris post humeros depressis, lateribus parallelis, maculis duabus testaceis ad medium obliquis et albis setis notatis.
Long. 0.12.
Paramatta ; a rare species.
The thorax is fringed with silvery sete so as to give it a somewhat cordiform appearance. At first sight it bears a consider- able resemblance to the preceding species. JI have not been able to examine the intercoxal plate. But I place it in this
BY THE REV. R. L. KING, B.A. 9
genus because of its general resemblance to the preceding species. La Ferte appears to lay but little stress upon the shape of the intercoxal plate; whereas La Cordaire makes it of considerable importance. These two species appear designed to unite Formicomus and Anthicus. The large intercoxal plate (at least of Australis) placing them in the former genus of La Cordaire, and the rather square shoulders bringing them into the Anthicus of La Ferte-Senectere.
Sp. 14. F. senex. De La Ferte.
Totus nigro-fuscus, subtiliter punctatus, griseo-pilosus ; thorace antice transversim globoso; elytris pone humeros non- nihil depressis.
Long. .12.
Nova Hollandia (baie des chiens-marins. )
I have not seen this species in any collection, and simply copy the description from La Ferte. The head is transverse ; and head, thorax, and elytra are all of a fuliginous black, the latter apparently without any spots. It cannot therefore be mistaken for the next species.
Sp. 15. F. Mastersiz.
Nigro-piceus, creberrime punctatus griseo-pilosus; capite ro- tundato; thorace antice transversim globoso, postice con- tracto ; elytris maculis dnabus obliquis elongatis rufis pone humeros, alteris duabus griseis pone medium minoribus ; antennis et tibiis ferrugineis.
Long. .17.
South Australia; collected by Mr. Masters, Australian Museum.
This species evidently comes near the preceding. The an- terior maculz do not appear to be constant. The roundness of the head as well as the size of the insect, and the macule on the elytra, readily distinguish it from F’. senew.
I have ventured to name this fine species after its discoverer.
Genus VI. Tomoprrus. De La Ferte.
This small genus has been formed for the reception of the
10 DESCRIPTION OF ANTHICIDES OF AUSTRALIA,
species of anthicus having a short robust form, moniliform an- tenn, and a distinctly bilobed thorax. Hrichson has marked one from Tasmania, (which La Ferte considers, however, to be iden- tical or nearly so with a European form 1’. compressicollis.)
Sp. 16. 2. vinctus. Hrichs.
Pubescens, rufo testaceus ; thorace latiusculo cordato ; elytris striato-punctatis, fascia pone medium nigra.
Long 1 lin.
Tasmania.
The original insect is in the Berlin Museum. I have not seen the species. The thorax is transverse, lightly canaliculate on the back, and impressed at the base; the feet flavous. The black fascia on the elytra alone appears to separate it from 7’. com- pressicollis.
Genus VII. Awnrnicus. Payk.
The genus Anthicus is by far the largest of the whole family, at least in point of number. It includes all those which have the head free, the antennze inserted on the lateral edges of the head, the thorax rounded in front, and more or less strongly contracted posteriorly, but seldom bilobed ; the thighs only moderately if at all enlarged, and the intercoxal plate triangular. Most of the species are subject to very great variations in the size and shape of the spots on the elytra, so that the shape of spots or of fascize on the elytra, or even their presence or absence, can never be absolutely depended upon. The colour of the ‘thorax and of the antenne and feet, and of the ground-work of the elytra is, how- ever, generally constant.
La Ferte has, for the sake of convenient arrangement, divided the whole genus into four great sections, distinguished by the degree of contraction and convexity of the thorax. These are again subdivided into eighteen separate groups, some of which are not represented in this country. The arrangement is probably a merely artificial one ; yet it has its conveniences, and is therefore a considerable assistance in the study of the genus. I shall therefore follow it as closely as possible, although I feel
BY THE REV. R. L. KING, B.A. 11
considerable hesitation as to the particular group under which some species should be placed. La Ferte’s first division of the genus is as follows: — Div. A.—Thorax without lateral fossa a ,, strongly contracted posteriorly ... ... IL b ,, slightly contracted posteriorly a disk of thorax, flat and transversely
rounded anteriorly Liaise onl tee eared b' convex disk and regularly Slptiulae AVIDEPIOLNY! eye ackck .cagt tt heap lae B.—Thorax with lateral fossa Nees gate dhe ohtrieh ogee Division I. Group I.
Elytra parallel, hardly convex, elongated, very square ante- riorly. Thighs somewhat dilated. Thorax long and bilobed.
Sp. 17. A. nitidissimus.
Nitidus, subglaber; capite piceo; thorace ferrugineo, antice rotundato postice valde coarctato; elytris antice punctatis ad humeros quadratis piceis, fascia pone humeros flava et maculis post medium duabus flavgscentibus, antennis et pedibus flavis.
Long. .09.
Gawler ; South Australia.
A very elegant species, which I place with some hesitation in La Ferte’s first group. The elytra are not so much elongated as in the other species ranged in this group—to judge by the descrip- tions. The thorax is somewhat suddenly contracted at the middle, and swells out again towards the base. The humeral fascize of the elytra are somewhat oblique, in consequence of the triangular piceous mark at the scutellam. It is of a more ferru- gineous yellow than the maculz. The species seems to approach A. Rodriguit. Latr.
12 DESCRIPTION OF ANTHICIDES OF AUSTRALIA,
Group IV.
Thorax anteriorly transversely-globose, contracted towards the base, the posterior sides slightly inflated ; the base generally very minutely tubercled.
To this group several Australian species are referable.
Sp. 18. A. pulcher.
Ferrugineus subtiliter punctatus depressus, antennis flavis articulis 7—10 moniliformibus ; elytris piceis fasciis duabus latis flavis notatis, apicibus rotundatis ; pedibus flavis.
Long. .09.
Gawler ; South Australia.
The fasciee occupy the greater part of the surface of the ' elytra, and are often separated at the suture. The whole insect is very depressed. The thoracic tubercles are very distinct. The species appears to approach A. debilis from Egypt, and belongs to that division of the group, with elongated sub- parallel and flattened elytra.
Sp. 19. A. bombidiodes. La Ferte. Anthicus strictus, Hrichsen.
Niger nitidus glaber; thorace pone medium valde compresso ; elytris maculis duabus altera humerali altera pone medium minuta, flavo-testaceis, antennis pedibusque fuscis, tarsis pallidis. e
Long. .18; (? .08. an error here in the description of La Ferte.? )
Adelaide ; South Australia.
I have received from Mrs. Kreusler, from Gawler, two specimens which agree with the above description, except in regard to the size of the insect and the colour of the elytra. I hesitate to regard them as undescribed. The elytra on my speci- mens are very convex and oval.
Sp. 20. A. comptus. La Ferte. Piceus, nitidus, capite nigro; thorace basi ferrugineo ibique subtilissime tuberculato; elytrorum fasciis duabus, anten- narum basi tarsisque flavis.
BY THE REV, R. L. KING, B.A. 13
Long. Adelaide and Gawler; South Australia. An insect very variable in colour of elytra. Mrs. Kreusler has sent me a specimen from Gawler, and Mr. Macleay has also received it from Mr. Odewahn, of the same place.
Sp. 21. A. unifasciatus.
. Piceo-ferrugineus nitidus thorace bisinuato antice polito postice alte punctato ad basin bi-tuberculato ; elytris ovatis punctu- latis brunneis, fascia flava pone humeros unica; antennis et pedibus ferrugineis.
Long. 0.10. Gawler; South Australia.
A very pretty species near A. predator, distinguished from its Australian congeners, by its single broad yellowish fascia behind the omoplates. There is no appearance of spots elsewhere. It appears to be not uncommon.
The name wnifasciatus has been used by Schmidt, but as it appears to have been applied to the previously described A. venus- tus (Villa); this name so descriptive of the present species is again at liberty.
Sp. 22. A. bellus.
Piceus politus capite nigro subtilissime punctato; thorace pone medium valde compresso ad basin punctato 2-tuber- culato ; elytris nigro-piceis lateribus convexis maculis duabus humeralibus testaceis, duabus alteris pone medium ; tarsis flavis.
Long. .10. Paramatta; not uncommon.
It is very near A. comptus, but the spots on the elytra, though very variable in size, never appear to unite as in that species. I frequently capture it upon the roof of the house and among the dead leaves and sand in the gutters. It is a very pretty and active species.
14 DESCRIPTION OF ANTHICIDES OF AUSTRALIA,
Sp. 23. A myrteus.
Pubescens politus punctatus capite nigro; thorace piceo aut ferrugineo, bisinuato, ad basin plerumque bituberculato ; elytris piceo-brunneis bifasciatis lateribus sub-convexis ; femoribus piceis ad basin ferrugineis.
Long. .10.
Paramatta ; Gawler.
This species appears to have a wide range. Specimens which I have received from Mrs. Kreusler, captured in South Australia, are not to be distinguished from Paramatta specimens. It frequents flowers, and is very common among the Leptospermun and Bursaria when in bloom. I also frequently find it on roses.
The antenne are rufous at the base, but piceous at the four last joints. The base of the thorax is sometimes so deeply punctured as to appear almost foveolate. The fasciz on the elytra sometimes cover the greater portion of the surface.
Sp. 24. A. glaber.
Totus castaneus glaberrimus minutissime punctatus capite rotundato; antennis subclavatis: thorace vix ad _ basin tuberculato ; elytrorum marginibus exterioribus piceis.
Long. .08.
Gawler; South Australia.
This species belongs to the same division with A. comptus, from which it is distinguished by the roundness of its head as well as its colour. I can discover no trace of sete or pubescence with a strong lens. The antenne are more clavate than usual ; the last three joints gradually increasing in size.
Sp. 25. A. mtricatus.
Ferrugineus ‘glaber ; thorace antice transverse rotundato postice contracto intricato ; elytris brevibus lateribus con- vexis punctatis flavo-ferrugineis et medium et ad apicem piceomaculatis lineis suturalibus notatis.
Long. .08.
King George’s Sound ; Mr. Masters, Australian Museum.
ae meen OR EEE ALLL A
—_—
BY THE REV R. L. KING, B.A. 15
The only specimen collected by Mr. Masters is in the Museum. The intricate markings of the thorax and the short glabrous elytra, distinguish this species very readily from its congeners. The base of the thorax is distinctly tuberculate.
Sp. 26. A. Denisonii.
Capite piceo punctato polito antennis ferrugineis articulis ultimis piceis; thorace ferrugineo antice transversim rotundato postice contracto lateribus sub-parallelis ad basin punctato non tuberculato; elytris pubescentibus vix punc- tatis brunneis fasciis flavis latis duobus, lateribus convexis.
Long. 0.10. Port Denison ; in Mr. MacLeay’s collection.
Although the thorax is not, or very indistinctly tubercled at the base, yet the general appearance of this species is that of the group under which I have placed it. The latter half of the thorax is nearly cylindrical. The sutural lines are very close to the suture. Another specimen from Port Denison in the same collection, is much lighter in its colour, but in the paucity of specimens, I must place it under the same name.
I have dedicated the species to our late Governor-General, whose name has been given to the locality from which these specimens have been received.
Sp. 27. A. dubws.
Pallide ferrugineus politus ; thorace binodoso non tuberculato ; elytris subconvexis flavo-castaneis pubescentibus ; anten- narum basi tarsique flavis.
Long. 0.07. Paramatta ; in grass.
I have placed the species in this group very doubtfully. There are na traces of the thoracic tubercles, though the general contour is that of this group. There arc hardly any traces of marking on the elytra, except in some specimens a slight deepening of colour principally due to the transparency of these organs, permitting the abdomen to be seen.
16 DESCRIPTION OF ANTHICIDES OF AUSTRALIA,
Group V.
Thorax rugose, globose anteriorly—the sides generally spiny ; elytra more or less striato-punctate.
Sp. 28. A. scydmenoides.
Castaneus punctatus setosus; capite piceo antennis castaneis articulis 9 et 10 nigris; thorace lateribus subangulosis subspinosis ; elytris convexis humeris piceis et duabus pone medium maculis transversis ; pedibus castaneis.
Long. 0.10.
Collection of W. MacLeay, Esq.
I believe this species to be near the 5th group; the strong black setee on the thorax have the appearance of spines; similar strong black setz cover the pubescent elytra. The punctures on the elytra are strong, but not at all arranged in striw. The very convex elytra separate it very decidedly from its Australian congeners.
Division II. Group VII.
Thorax cordiform, transverse; whole body flavo-testaceous. A small group; but represented in Australia by certainly two if not three species.
Sp. 29. A. luridus.
Pallide ferrugineus, punctatus, sericeo-pubescens ; elytris luri- dis immaculatis.
Long. 0.10.
Port Denison. Collection of Mr. MacLeay.
This species comes very near the European form A. bima- culatus, but it wants the maculze on the elytra—as indeed is the case with some specimens of bimaculatus. The head and thorax are decidedly ferrugineous.
Sp. 30. A. apicalis.
Luridus, parce setosus; capite, antennis et elytrorum humeris et apicibus murinis; ad medium elytrorum maculis duabus murinis.
es
BY THE REV. R. L. KING, B.A. “7
Long. 0.10 Port Denison ; Mr. MacLeay’s collection.
This species also comes very near bimaculatus and luridus. The elytra are less closely punctate, and therefore I am justified in placing more value than usual on the colour of the elytra in separating the species.
Sp. 31. A. immaculatus.
Pallide ferrugineus punctulatus capite transverso postice qua- drato; thorace subtransverso, antice transverse rotundato postice contracto; elytris brunneis immaculatis lateribus rotundatis, lineis suturalibus notatis.
Long. 0.12.
South Australia; Mr. Masters.
The elytra are much rounded, the sutural lines very distinct, There is a faint ferrugineous tint on the shoulders and along the suture. A paler variety I have received from Mrs. Kreusler, captured at Gawler, but it seems to be the same species. There are several specimens of the typical form in the Museum collec- tion, brought by Mr. Masters from his late Western excursion.
Group VIII.
Thorax oblong trapezoidal flattened; body shining, almost glabrous ; elytra parallel, hardly convex, anteriorly quadrate.
Sp. 32. A. floralis. Payk.
Fusco-brunneus nitidus glabriusculus, subtiliter punctulatus ; antennis, pedibus, thorace, elytrisque antice ferrugineis.
Long. 0.13.
South Australia ; Mrs. Kreusler.
This species, for I cannot distinguish any real difference between the South Australian and the Huropean specimens, has not only a large range, but has also been long known. It was described by the great naturalist in his Fauna Suecica as Meloe Floralis in the year 1735; and under different names has been frequently described since. It has been found in Lapland, Scot-
B
18 DESCRIPTION OF ANTHICIDES OF AUSTRALIA,
land, Spain, Turkey ; in Algeria, Egypt, and the ORB of Good Hope; in the United States, Chili, and Guadeloupe. Its capture in South Australia, by my friend Mrs. Kreusler, shows that it has travelled even further than had been supposed by La Ferte.
Sp. 33. A. hespert.
Setosus ; capite nigro punctulato, occipite bilobato ; thorace ferrugineo minute punctato; elytris punctatis lateribus subsinuatis, maculis lateralibus quatuor, duabus pone humeros duabus pone medium obliquis.
Long. 0.12—0.13.
Paramatta; Gawler, South Australia; common in grass; on
fences at evening.
The spots vary in size, at times nearly meeting at the suture, at times nearly obsolete. The elytra are slightly convex at the sides, widest near the posterior spots. They are depressed behind the shoulders. The bilobation of the head is sometimes hardly observable.
I cannot distinguish some of the Gawler specimens from those from Paramatta.
Sp. 34. A. monilis.
Pallide ferrugineus, subtiliter punctatus pubescens ; antenna- rum articulis 7—10 moniliformibus ; elytris piceis, humeris ferrugineis, maculis duabus pone medium flavo-ferrugineis,
- apicibus rotundatis.
Long. 0.09.
Gawler; Ws. Kreusler, Australian Museum.
The head is somewhat piceous. The moniliform clava of the
antenne and the broad pale ferrugineous fascia on the shoulders of the elytra distinguish it from its congeners. I have received
a single specimen from my friend Mrs. Kreusler. A second —
specimen is in the Museum, collected by Mr. Masters in South Australia. :
Sp. 35. A. Kreusleri.
Piceus nitidus subtiliter punctulatus setosus; capite nigro
ee
BY THE REV. R. L. KING, B.A. 19
occipite bilobato ; thorace ferrugineo ; elytris lateribus sub-
parallelis maculis duabus rotundatis flavo-ferrugineis pone
humeros, duabus pone medium ; antennis et pedibus flavis. Long. 0.09.
Gawler; Mrs. Kreusler, Australian Museum.
In this very pretty species, the shoulders are hardly so square as in the type of the group, the whole insect being narrow. The spots on the elytra are generally round, but at times they are so much enlarged as almost to form fascie. The abdomen is not wholly covered by the elytra. I have dedicated this apparently common and pretty species to my friend the discoverer.
Sp. 36. A. charon.
Niger nitidus punctulatus subglaber; thorace subtrapezoidali antice nigro, ad basin flavo-rufescenti; elytris immaculatis antice punctatis; antennis et pedibus ferrugineis.
Long. 0.10.
King George’s Sound ; in the collection of W. MacLeay, Esq.
This interesting species is evidently near A. infernus, from Mexico, and A. stygius from the Cape of Good Hope. The basal half of the thorax is yellowish red, the rest is black. The anterior portion of the elytra is deeply punctured ; towards the apex the punctures almost disappear. The elytra are broadest behind the middle. The suture is slightly raised posteriorly. The whole insect is very thinly covered with whitish sete.
Group X.
Thorax subcordate, the length either equal to, or a little greater than the breadth; elytra varying in colour and punctu- ration. ;
Sp. 37. <A. crassipes. La Ferte.
Fusco-brunneus, subnitidus, parum crebre punctatus, sub- hirsuto-pubescens ; antennarum basi tibiis tarsisque rufes- centibus elytris maculis duabus obliquis altera pone humerum altera pone medium flavo-ferrugineis ;_ tibiis maris insolite incrassatis introrsum emarginatis.
20 DESCRIPTION OF ANTHICIDES OF AUSTRALIA,
Long. 0.10. Nova Hollandia.
This was one of the species brought to Paris by M. Verreaux. TI have not yet been able to distinguish it among the many specimens in my collection. The male is distinguished by the shape of the posterior tibie, which are robust, broad, somewhat bent, but not armed with a spine or tooth, as in the next species.
Sp. 38. A. brevicollis.
Setosus; capite nigro transverso polito, antennis ferrugincis articulis ultimis piceis; thorace brevi transversali cordato, antice rotundato postice contracto, minutissime punctato ; linea basali transversa impressa ; elytris fusco-diaphanis ad latera et apicem, interdum piceo-notatis ; femoribus piceis tibiis flavo ferrugineis; tibiis posterioribus maris introrsum spinigeris.
Long. .12.
Randwick.
The markings of the elytra are subject to considerable variation. The male is always darker than the female.
A species from Gawler, sent me by Mrs. Kreusler, agrees in every respect with this description, except that I have not been able to discover the spine on the posterior tibie of the male. Many of the specimens are smaller, and some are even larger than the Randwick specimens.
The Randwick specimens were captured in some abundance on the leaves of Hucalyptus marginata running about with great activity. Others were found in the flowers of a Leptospermum.
Sp. 89. A. glabricollis.
Ferrugineo-piceus, tenue pubescens; capite nigro antennis ad basin ferrugineis, clavatis; thorace ferrugineo cordato glabro ; elytris subtiliter punctatis, duabus fasciis latis flavo- testaceis ; femoribus piceis.
Long. .10.
Gawler; Mrs. Kreusler.
BY THE REV, R. L. KING, B.A. 21
The thorax is widest close to the head, and then contracts very gradually to about 2 of its length; the remaining third being nearly cylindrical. The fasciz of the elytra are broad and almost united at the suture. The sides of the elytra are some- what rounded.
This species is near the preceding, but the thorax is longer.
Sp. 40. <A. erassus.
Fusco-brunneus, parum crebre punctatus hirsute-pubescens ; antennis terrugineis; thorace transverso obcordato, ad basin ferrugineo ; elytris maculis duabus flavis, posterioribus obliquis.
Long. .14.
Gawler; Mrs. Kreusler.
This description applies to one of two specimens, the head and thorax of which is blackish brown, and the macule on the shoulders are somewhat large. In the second specimen the head and thorax are ferrugineous, and the flavous spots cover nearly the whole elytra, and are widely connected at the suture. It is one of the many species which we owe to the industry of Mrs.
- Kreusler of Gawler. It comes near the description of A. crassipes.
Division III. Group XI.
Thorax elongated, elytra cylindrico-elongated.
Sp. 41. A. nigricollis.
Parce setosus punctulatus niger; thorace antice rotundato bisinuato ; elytris maculis flavescentibus 2" pone humeros
et 2'"° pone medium, pedibus ferrugineis. Long. .10.
Gawler; Mrs. Kreusler.
The elytra are elongated ; the suture is somewhat prominent ; the spots behind the shoulder are sub-triangular, those behind the middle almost unite to form a fascia.
The species belongs to the first division of this group, having the sides of the thorax bisinuate.
9292 DESCRIPTION OF ANTHICIDES OF AUSTRALIA,
Sp. 42, A. Wollaston.
Brunneus opacus punctatus sparse pubescens, occipite quadrato plerumque bilobato ; thorace simplici lateribus non bisinua- tis ; elytris ad humeros quadratis ad basin et latera piceis ; macula media prope apicem picea, tarsis posterioribus sub- elongatis.
Long. .14.
Gawler; Mrs. Kreusler.
The posterior tarsi are as long as the tibia. The species is subject to considerable variety of coloration, occasionally it is of a light straw colour without any trace of spots on the elytra. The bilobation of the occiput is not constant. The elytra are deeply and closely punctured; the thorax less deeply. The punctures on the head are smaller and more scattered.
I have named the species after my old friend, the author of “The Insects of Madeira” and other standard Entomological works,
Sp. 495. A. rarus.
Piceus punctatus parce setosus; thorace subelongato antice rotundato postice minime- contracto; elytris elongatis subparallelis 4-maculatis, 2° maculis rotundatis pone humeros, 2° pone medium fasciam formantibus, lineis suturalibus notatis ; pedibus flavescentibus.
Long. .10.
Paramatta.
This handsome species of which I have but a single specimen, comes very near A. Wollastonii, but may at once be distinguished by its deeper punctures on the elytra and its sutural lines. Like the preceding species, the punctures on the thorax are minute.
Sp. 44. A. Gawleri.
Setosus punctatus ; capite piceo postice rotundato occipite bilo- bato ; thorace bisinuato ferrugineo, superne convexo ; elytris piceis, antice alte punctatis, flavo-fasciatis maculis flavis duabus subrotundatis pone medium ; pedibus flavis, antennis ferrugineis.
fieng..12.
Gawler. Mrs. Kreusler.
BY THE REV. R. L. KING, B.A. 23
The punctures on the base of the elytra are much deeper than those on the apex. The flavous fascia is very close to the shoulder. There is hardly any trace of sutural lines on the elytra. The bilobation of the occiput is very distinct.
Division [V.
Sides of thorax more or less foveolate.
Group XVI.
Thorax oblong, slightly dilated at the base, and therefore bisinuate at the sides.
Sp. 45. A. Krefftiz.
Ferrugineus politus punctatus; capite postice rotundato; thorace brevi oblongo, antice subtruncato postice vix contracto ad basin parce dilatato, 2° foveolis lateralibus, ad basin _ linea transversa; elytris magnis humeris quadratis pone humeros depressis, lateribus subparallelis, lineis suturalibus et fascia obsoleta ad medium notatis.
Long. .14.
Paramatta.
I have captured but a single individual of this species. ‘The foveoles on the sides of the thorax are nearly circular, and apparently connected by a line. The sides of the elytra are nearly parallel, very slightly increasing in breadth, to about two- thirds of their length.
I have dedicated the species to the talented Curator of the Australian Museum, the Secretary of our Society.
Sp. 46. A. MacLeayii.
Rufus politus minute punctatus setosus ; capite postice bilobato; elytris lateribus convexis fusco-nigris, 2’. maculis pone humeros triangularibus rufescentibus, altera unica pone medium, lineis suturalibus distinctis; antennarum articulis ultimis piceis ; pedibus piceis, tarsis rufis.
Long. .12.
Illawarra; W. MacLeay, Esq.
2A, DESCRIPTION OF ANTHICIDES OF AUSTRALIA.
This species was found by Mr. Macleay in dead Palms, on the sea beach at Illawarra. It is very distinct from all its Australian congeners. The foveoles on the thorax are more elongated than in the preceding.
Ihave named the species after its discoverer.
ABNORMAL SPECIES. Sp. 47. Anthicus concolor.
Totus brunneus opacus setosus alte punctatus; thorace elongato antice transverse rotundato postice lateribus parallelis, ad medium longitudinaliter depresso ; elytris striato-punctatis, sutura postice subelevata.
Long. .13.
Paramatta; R. L. King: under dead lo
This species, of which I have but a single specimen, (there ‘is also one in Mr. MacLeay’s cabinet) hardly appears at first sight to belong to the genus ; nor does it on examination appear referable to any of La Ferte Senectere’s group, though in some respects it approaches VIII. The punctures are very deep, especially on the elytra. The thorax is contracted posteriorly above, but the sides are slightly spread towards the base. The ' antennee are stout, scarcely clavate, joints obconical.
I prefer for the present placing it at the end of the genus, as abnormal. So also the following.
g, with ants.
Sp. 48. A. abnormis.
Ferrugineus punctatus nitidus planus subglaber; capite trans- verso piceo, antennis piceis articulis obconicis ; thorace transverso quadrato lateribus sub-parallelis, ad medium longitudinaliter obsolete canaliculatis; elytris lateribus parallelis fascia picea ad medium, apicibus piceis; pedibus piceis tarsis ferrugineis articulo penultimo minutissimo. _
Long. 0.10.
Paramatta.
A very abnormal Anthicus, the transverse thorax being hardly contracted at all, and the penultimate joint of the tarsi being almost invisible. It is thinly covered with short ad- pressed setee.
a ae ae
On the genus Charagia of Walker, By A. W. Scort, M.A.
[Read 2nd September, 1867. ]
THE Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Heterocera contained in the British Museum characterizes in page 1569, the genus Charagia, to which generic description is appended a Synopsis of the species known to Mr. Walker; the arrangement being appa- rently founded on the colour and marking of the superior wings, without taking into due consideration the probability of the existence of any of those striking sexual dissimilarities in both of these respects, which this group, particularly in the smaller kinds, so forcibly exhibits.
As this Synopsis, when applied to the species of the genus, enumerated in the catalogue, and to those additional ones in my collection, now to be described, conveys an erroneous principle, I am desirous of contributing further information than I have already given in the Australian Lepidoptera, on this beautiful, but little known, portion of the Hepialidean family, and I therefore gladly avail myself of this opportunity to place in a concise manner before the members of this Society the practical know- ledge I possess of the transformations, sexual distinctions, and habits of the Australasian Charagiz, in the hope by so doing that a clearer and more accurate perception of this restricted genus might be attained.
Genus CuHaracia.!
Charagia. Walker; Brit. Mus. Cat. Lep, Het., p. 1569: Scott. Aust, Lep., p. 3. Hepialus. Lewin, Doubleday, Boisduval ; Stephen’s .S.S.
Alze long, sat latee, leviter falcatee, apice acuminate ; angulis ‘analibus valde rotundatis.* Caput porrectum. Oculi magni, prominuli. Antenne brevissime, aliquantulum moniliformes, leniter ciliate. Palpi labiales distincti, porrecti, triarticulati.
1 Generic characters copiec from my work on Australian Lepidoptera, p. 3. * Ale postices non semi-hyaline. Brit. Mus. Cat., p. 1548.
26 ON THE GENUS CHARAGIA OF WALKER,
Maxille obsolete. Abdomen elongatum, alas posticas superans, lateraliter modice compressum, omnibus partibus ejusdem mag- nitudinis, apice flabellatum. Pedes excalcariti,’ anteriores magni, validi, tibiis tarsisque dense pilosis ; postici parvi, graciles, tibiis hirsutis, in maribus externe scopatis; tarsi 5-articulatis, fere glabris. Larva carnosa, cylindrica, ad caput incrassata ; capite segmentoque anteriori corneis; in ligno habitans, plerumque librivora. Pupa lactiflorea, antice squamosa, postice mollis, elongata, annulis serratis.
Wings long, moderately broad, slightly falcate, pointed at the tips and much rounded at the hinder angles. Head projecting. Hyes large and prominent. Antenne minute, somewhat monoli- form, delicately ciliated. Labial palpi distinct, porrected in front, 3-jointed. Maxille obsolete. Body elongated, reaching beyond the wings, slightly flattened laterally, nearly of an equal thick- ness throughout, with the extremity fan-shaped. Legs spurless,’ anterior and second pairs large and powerful; tibiz and tarsi densely pilose; posterior pairs, small, weak, with long hairs on the tibie, forming in the males a large brush exteriorly ; tarsi 5-jointed, almost naked. Larva fleshy, elongated, cylindrical, stoutest anteriorly, with head and first segment horny ; living in the interior of trees and subsisting principally upon the bark. Chrysalis yellowish-white, anterior portion squamose, abdominal, soft and elongated with serrated corneous rings.
Mas....Alee antics virideo argentes, nonnunquam aureo, fasciate. Alze posticee subceeruleze.
virescens, Doubleday. Scotti, Ramsay. lignivora, Lewin. Ramsayi, Scott. scripta, MacLeay. eximia P Scott. Lewinii, Stephens. splendens, Scott.
Foem.. Ale antic. virides ferrugineo fasciate ...
fasciatee ...
Ale antics virides argenteo
Alee anticee purpuree viridi varie {
Alee posticee rubicundule.
1 Mr. Walker, in the British Museum Catalogue, p. 1569, states that the hind tibize have two very minute apical spurs; these have been repeatedly looked for, but hitherto unsuccessfully.
BY A. W. SCOTT, M.A. 97
The larvee excavate to some little depth, cylindrical cells in the interior of the stems or branches of several species of indi- genous plants, in which they wholly pass their lives and undergo all the primary changes. Over the external entrance of this habitation they construct a covering, composed of triturated portions of bark and wood held together by silken threads; the edges of which are closely adherent to the branch, and thus leave no opening for the egress or ingress of the animal. In this particular, the protective covering, although similar in construc- tion and general appearance, differs materially from that formed by the caterpillars of the Cryptophasee, where the lower portions are left unattached to afford to the insects a free passage in order to obtain their natural food, the leaves of the tree within the stems of which they are located. At first, this covering is but a speck, but by the time the larvae have attained maturity, it assumes an inflated bag-like form of considerable dimensions, and which, in many instances, is so large that the smaller plants are destroyed by the bark having been eaten completely round the main stem.
The chrysalis is placed within this dwelling, head upwards, and, being provided with serrated corneous abdominal rings, and considerable vitality, is capable of locomotion, a power it exercises frequently by moving up and down the walls of its cell with alacrity. At the last metamorphosis, the anterior half of the chrysalis is thrust out of the aperture, when the skin rends asunder, and the perfect insect departs, leaving the exuviso remaining in that position.
The perfect insects are about the most beautiful of the nocturnal Lepidoptera ; but unfortunately the colours fade quickly after death ; and it is difficult to imagine that the specimens we meet with in cabinets, were ever the beings so brilliant at their births ; consequently no adequate idea can be formed of the beauty of the various species of this group, nor correct descrip- tions given of the colouring, unless by the examination of very recent specimens. These moths are nocturnal in their habits, and fly with great velocity.
28 ON THE GENUS CHARAGIA OF WALKER,
1.—CHARAGIA VIRESCENS.
Charagia virescens. Brit, Mus. Cat. Lep. Het., p. 1569.
Charagia rubroviridans. Brit. Mus. Cat. Lep. Het., p. 1570.
Hepialus rubroviridans. Stephens M.S 8.
Hepialus virescens. Doubleday (Duffenbach’s New Zealand. )
Male sisi: length of wings 49 lines: of body 26 lines’. Superior wings, lovely bluish green, relieved by various silver markings, which consist of :—a line along the basal portion of the costa; an irregular broadish obliquely transverse band a little beyond the middle ; another senmticircular one nearer to the base, with numerous others, small and faint, disposed transversely between the nervures and terminating in lunules at the exterior border. Inferior wings, delicate bluish-white. Abdomen and thorax bluish-green. yes reddish- brown. Antenne tawny.
Female...... length of wings 62 lines: of body 28 lines. Superior wings, bright green with numerous distinct irregular reddish-brown bands and lines mostly dis- posed transversely. The costa is barred with green and brown, and the whole wing edged by reddish- brown, the exterior portion being indistinctly scal- loped. Inferior wings, pale purplish-red. Abdomen purplish red, becoming green towards the extremity. Thorax green. Hyes and Antenne simi- lar in colour to those of the Male.
Larva ....... length at maturity about 37 lines, is throughout of a pale ochreous tint, with the squamose portions much darker, and the head black-brown.
These caterpillars were found in great abundance near the town of Auckland by my friend Mr. Edward Ramsay, of Do- broyde, near Sydney, when on a visit to New Zealand.
They inhabited the limbs of various trees, and on the stem
112 lines to the English inch.
—————
BY A. W. SCOTT, M.A. 99
of one of them, the Melicytus ramiflorus, or, “ Mahoc”’ of the natives, there were no less than thirty habitations of this species “literally” as he remarked “studded with their abodes.”
I feel fully assured that the Charagia virescens and the Cha- ragia rubroviridans of the Brit. Mus. Cat., pp. 1569 and 1570, are the male and female of the one species.
2,.—CHARAGIA LIGNIVORA.
Charagia lignivora. Brit. Mus. Cat, Lep. Het., p. 1570. Scott’s Aust. Lep., p. 5, pl. 2. Hepialus lignivora. Lewin. Lep. Ins, New South Wales, pl. 16.
1 (G1 eee Length of wings 24 lines: of body 15 lines. Superior wings, vivid emerald green, occasionally yellowish, adorned by a continuous rather broad sil- ver band, running from the base along the costa, to about +ths of its length; then transversely across the wing to the posterior border, from which it proceeds towards the half of the discoidal cell, and again returns to the interior margin near its base, thus forming in its course a somewhat triangular figure of bright silver over the bed of green. Inferior wings, pale bluish, inclining to a greenish hue; towards the tips are two short indistinct bars, slightly yellowish. Head and Collar yellowish white: tufts on the thorax emerald-green. Abdomen, upper part greenish white, central delicate purple, and terminal emerald green.
Female...... length of wings 31 lines: of body 18 lines. Superior wings bright light green over which are delicate irregular lines of scarlet, those under the costa and across the wing a little beyond the middle, are much the most distinct. The outer angle and the interior portion of the base of the wing, are both occupied largely by deep purplish-red, each of these patches relieved by spots of lighter and as colour placed within them.
380 ON THE GENUS CHARAGIA OF WALKER,
Inferior wings pale yellowish-red. Body yellowish red; the tufts on the abdomen, the collar, and the head being silver-grey.
PAOD ON tok about 24 lines in length, of a dark cream-colour throughout, with the head and squamose portions darker.
The larve inhabit the interior of many plants, such as the Casuarina, Callistemon, Eucalyptus, Dodonza, Acmena, &c., and are plentifully found with a few miles of Sydney, the lower Hunter River district, and many other localities of New South Wales.
Lewin, in his work on the Lepidopterous Insects of New South Wales, has figured two females, representing them as of different sexes. The correct description of the male of his species, the lignivora, is now given.
3.—CuHaAracia Lewinit. Charagia Lewinii Charagia Lamberti
Hepialus Lewinii Hepialus Lamberti
\ Brit. Mus. Cat. Lep. Het., p. 1570.
Stephen's M.8.8.
Moale........ length of wings 21 lines; of body 12 lines.
Superior wings, bright emerald green relieved by various silver markings, namely, a line from the base along the costa to about #ths of its length; from this point transversely across the wing to the margin of the inner border, then back towards about half of the discoidal cell, where it nearly meets another short band, proceeding from the basal portion of the in- terior margin, thus having formed an almost right angle immediately under the discoidal cell: within the space embraced by the two latter bands are placed two small transverse marginal streaks, and likewise over the outer angle a distinct spot is seen. These silver markings are brought out in strong relief by a shading of purplish brown.
The disposition of the silvery lines and colour of the
—
BY A. -W. SCOTT, M.A. 31
wings assimilate greatly to those of the Oh: lignivora, but are infinitely more slender and delicate.
Inferior wings, pale bluish assuming a purplish tinge towards the anterior border.
Female...... length of wings 24 lines; of body 14 lines.
Superior wings, bright rich purple; a large green band on the middle, deeply notched in front; dilated and angular behind.
Inferior wings, pale rich purple.
The body in colour throughout, similar to the wings, but darker towards the lower extremities.
Larva ......i0 length about 19 lines ; is of a cream-colour, slightly pinkish in parts; the head is black-brown, and the squamose portions pale reddish-brown.
The larvee are common in the vicinity of Sydney, usually occupying the main stems of the small saplings of the casuarine.
The Charagia Lamberti of the Brit. Mus. Cat. is the male of this species, for which we have retained the name of Lewin, originally bestowed on the female insect by Mr. Stephens.
4—CHARAGIA SPLENDENS. Charagia splendens. Scott, Aust. Lep., p. 6., pl. 2.
Maleé.......... length of wings 26 lines: of body 15 lines.
Superior wings, bright yellowish green, mottled with darker, and gaily adorned by numerous complicated markings. A continuous band of silver proceeds along the costa to about $rds of its length, crosses the wing a little beyond the middle to its inner margin, thence towards the base in a zig-zag manner, forming in this latter course a couple of distinct angles. ‘Two silver bands, connected at their upper ends by a curve, run parallel to the exterior margin, and between these and the first described transverse band are two others of a bright, light, silvery-bluish green. On the centre of the wing is placed conspicu- ously a rather large V shaped figure, also of bright bluish-green.
32
Female
Larva
ON THE GENUS CHARAGIA OF WALKER,
Inferior wings, lustrous bluish white.
Thorax green; head, collar, and tufts on thorax silvery. Abdomen bluish white, with an oblong green stripe towards the extremity.
vasiner length of wings 33 lines: of body 20 lines.
Superior wings, the centre occupied by a large tri- angular shaped patch of vivid light satin green, deep- ening exteriorly, whose lower angle reaches the margin of the inner border, and whose basal portion immediately under the. costa, bears three distinct notches. The apical angle to about half of the exterior margin also displays a broad mark of the same intense green possessing a deep indentation on the inner side. With the exception of a distinct spot of green near the outer angle and two others adjoining the base, the remaining portions of the wing are of a deep rich purple.
Inferior wings, pale purplish red, becoming darker towards the hind angle.
Head and thorax, reddish brown; abdomen, pale pur- plish red, deepening towards the extremity.
..+e018 much larger,.but in other respects similar to that
of the Ch: lignivora, and these two-species occupy in common the plants before enumerated.
We may remark that subsequent to the foregoing descriptions, much larger and finer specimens have been obtained.
5.—CuHaracia RAMsAyI
length of wings 51 lines: of body 27 lines.
Superior wings, light satiny emerald green, adorned with various large silvery spots, edged around by black-brown, sparingly disposed along the costa and in an oblique transverse row a little beyond the middle. Three small marginal lunules near the outer angle, two small oval spots on the discoidal cell, a dental marking towards the base of interior margin, and between these two latter, a much curved irregular line,—all of silver.
sata sates ontdnihail
BY AS W. SCOMLE MEA. 33
Inferior wings, bluish, slightly yellowish towards the tip.
The body pale emerald green with two large spots of silver on the lower part of the thorax ; tufts of hair on upper parts of abdomen, silvery ; eyes purplish.
Female ...... length of wings 66 lines: of body 33 lines.
Superior wings bright grass green, relieved by large, very bright silver spots brought out in strong relief by an edging of black brown, disposed in a similar manner to those on the male; but being larger and brighter they are more conspicuous and striking. The curved line, before described, becomes here a large spot.
Inferior wings yellowish-red.
Body and heud similar in colour, but paler, to the superior wings, bearing two reddish-spots on the thorax ; the tufts on the abdomen are yellowish-red, and the fan-shaped extremity purplish.
Larva .......length about 42 lines: creamy-white throughout except the segments over the true feet and the head, which are yellowish-brown; pinkish annular lines, also, between each segment.
The larve live within the stems of the acmena, alectryon, and
a few other plants, and were by no means uncommon on Ash
Island, Hunter River, when I resided there.
6.—CHARAGIA ScRIPTA. Charagia scripta. W. MacLeay, U.S.S.
Mile... comes length of wings 35 lines: of body 18 lines. Superior wings, basal moiety emerald green, exterior moiety lustrous yellowish-green, separated from each other by an oblique transverse band of silver, scalloped within; the whole surface adorned with numerous labyrinthic silvery lines and bands. The inner half is thickly studded over with short lines of silver, principally disposed transversely ; the other by three bands, also of silver, which run parallel to the exterior margin; the outer one assuming a chain- Cc
34 ON THE GENUS CHARAGIA OF WALKER,
Female......
Several
like pattern: the exterior marginal border is like- wise deeply silvered.
Inferior wings bluish-white.
Thorax and head emerald green; eyes purplish ; abdomen bluish-white, with silvery tufts.
length of wings 48 lines ; of body 26 lines.
Superior wings bright grass-green with numerous intricate markings of much lighter colour, principally on the basal half. Two oblique transverse rows, beyond the disc, of large bright spots of silver, each one placed between the veins, with the exception that in the external row, between the 2na and 3ra median nervules no spot exists, and also three or four others which adjoin the exterior angle, these, together with a tooth-shaped marking nearer to the base, and the delicate silver lines across the costa, complete the ornamentation of the upper wings of this peculiarly handsome insect.
Inferior wings yellowish-red inclining to pale yellowish- green towards the tips.
Head, thoraz and abdomen bright green; tufts of yellowish-red hairs cover the upper portion of the abdomen, excepting the three ultimate segments: the fan-shaped extremity is also , furnished with similar reddish hairs.
chrysalids in the wood were brought from King
George’s Sound, Western Australia, in 1861, for W. Macleay, Esq., of Elizabeth Bay; and in whose collection the perfect
insects are ; been taken.
from these specimens the foregoing description has
7.—CHARAGIA Scortr. 9
Charagia Scotti. 9 “Ramsay, M.S.S.
Female......
length of wings 54 lines: of body 26 lines.
Superior wings bright grass-green, delicately dotted over with purplish-brown spots: a slight purplish- brown transverse band beyond the middle.
Inferior wings yellowish-red, paler towards the tips.
BY. A; We SCOTT MiCAG 85
This insect was captured by Mr. Ramsay at Lismore, Richmond River, and the plumage much injured before it reached me. In this locality Mr. Ramsay found the caterpillars in abundance infesting, among other plants, the nettle tree, (urtica gigas) the native Wistaria, d&c., &c., but I regret to say, that the several he had so carefully collected, were all destroyed while in their transit to Sydney.
8.—CHARAGIA BXIM1A.
Migliore tat length of wings 36 lines: of body 20 lines. Superior wings bright emerald-green, chastely relieved with numerous markings ; a transverse oblique band of gold a little beyond the middle, but not reaching to either margin ; many short, curved lines of bright silver disposed between the veins; those to the exterior of the transverse band form a chain-like pattern ; while those to the interior are irregular and labyrinthic, Inferior wings bluish with a slight shade of green ; ciliz round the outer angle, golden-brown. Head pro-thorax and tippets similar in colour to the fore wings ; thorax and abdomen to the hind wings ; eyes and antenne dark purplish-brown. ' LANVG 0... 0 length about 42 lines, slightly setigerous, creamy-white with a tinge of purplish-red between the segments. These larve inhabited the small stems and branches of the Dodoneea angustifolia, and were found at Ash Island plentifully. All the larve we had collected, excepting the one, were lost, arising from the want of proper and sufficient nutriment, the pieces of wood, in which they were, having become from long keeping hard and sapless. The above measurement was taken from one of the finest caterpillars, with which the rearing proved unsuccessful ; the perfect insect, therefore, whose dimensions are given above, is evidently much undersized, and would probably reach, under favourable circumstances, to between 50 and 55 lines. The more than usually faleate wings; the band on the fore wing and the brush of hair on the tibiz of the posterior leg, being of a golden colour; and the somewhat setigerous larva will readily distinguish this species from any of the foregoing.
Description of a new genus belonging to the family Hepialide,
of Stephens, By A. W. Scorr, M.A.
[Read 7th October, 1867.]
Tue paper on the genus “Charagia” of Walker, which I read at the last meeting of our Society, was an endeavour to correct certain important errors existing in the Catalogue of the British Museum, in relation to this group; to describe, in a concise man- ner, the habits and metamorphoses of the insects; and to place on record the existence of several new species. In illustration of the descriptions I then gave, I exhibited the coloured drawings of all the species enumerated by me, and I trust I succeeded in affording a clear perception of a class of insects, so peculiarly Australasian.
I now purpose to present to the attention of the members a new and very remarkable example of the Hepialidean family, and which I hope will prove not only acceptable, but will justify me in creating a new genus for its reception; one, I think, readily distinguished by several marked characteristics from any other, with which I am acquainted.
I may here remark that the fourteen genera which compose the Hepialide, according to the Museum Catalogue, are but feebly represented by species, no less than five of them having but one each, and it is therefore fairly presumable that the family is, at present, but inadequately known.
The magnificent forests and brushes of the temperate and tropical portions of the globe, thick with underwood, and climb- ing plants, must prove, if carefully searched, a prolific source for the production of very many new species of these lignivorous lepidoptera ; and it is to such localities that the intelligent col- lector will have to look to supply the existing deficiencies.
Before proceeding further, I have to express my regret that the two examples, male and female, of the insect, now under
BY A. W. SCOTT, M.A. 3
consideration, were forwarded to me in an imperfect state, but the numerous component parts, still perfect, render the restora- tion of the remains, a task of no great difficulty, and a matter of considerable certainty.
The female insect was captured, while at rest on the trunk of a tree, by my friend J. H. Stacy, Esq., while on a journey between Port Macquarie and Newcastle; to him, therefore, as its discoverer, I dedicate the specific name.
A short time afterwards the male was sent to me in a letter by the late Dr. Stephenson, of Chatham, Manning River, accom- panied with the following remarks :—“I found these splendid remains in a spider’s web, and as it might be probable you may not have seen the insect before, I have taken the liberty of for- warding them to you.”
The Manning River, as you are aware, is a short distance to the southward of Port Macquarie, and in the line of road to Newcastle, so that the two specimens of this rare insect were obtained nearly in the same locality, although at different periods.
Heprauipaz. Brit. Mus. Cat. Lep. Het., p. 1548.
Genus. ZELOTYPIA.
Corpus crassum; abdomen longum, alas posticas superans ; alze longa, anguste, apice sub-acuminatee, margine exteriore per- obliquo, tantum versus apicem lineis alternis vicibus undulatis ; alz antic ocellate, macula discali vitrea.
: tO 2 a caput porrectum: oculi prominuli: maxillee obsolete : palpi breves, tenues: pedes excalcariti? anteriores validi, pilosi; posteriores graciles.
Mas..........Pedes posteriores graciles, valde lesi.
Body thick; abdomen long, extending beyond the wings ; wings long, narrow, slightly acuminated at the tips, extremely oblique along the exterior border, and crumpled towards the apices ; fore wings with an ocellus on each, whose disc is vitreous.
Female..... Head projecting ; eyes large and prominent ; maxille obsolete; palpi short, slender; legs spurless ? an- terior pairs stout, pilose; posterior slender.
38
NEW GENUS OF THE HEPIALID,
Male ........uegs, posterior pair, slender, much injured.
The wing veins are similar in structure to those of the genus Hepialas.
Male........
Female
ZeLoTYPIA Stacyi.
-length of wings 76 lines ; of body 82 (?) lines’.
Superior wings dark rich fawn-colour; on the centre of each, a large dull green-coloured ocellus, encircled by a dark brown line, edged with white outwardly, and bearing within it a sub-diaphanous pearly spot. A broad, irregular, oblique transverse band of silver, crosses the wing slightly beyond the ocellus; the whole space between this and the exterior margin is occupied by numerous wavy, very fine, distinct, light- coloured lines, disposed labyrinthically over the ground-colour ; the inner portion of the wing is thickly sprinkled over with silver, assuming towards the interior angle a series of ovoidal figures. The costa is very broad and powerful, amply barred transversely with irregular angular bands of silvery- white.
Inferior wings pale bright salmon-colour, darker
towards the tips, where they become crumpled.
length of wings 117 lines ; of body 47 (?) lines.
Superior wings pale salmon-colour ; the centre of each is occupied by a large, bright, ochreous ocellus, girded by rings of brown and white, and carrying within it a largish sub-diaphanous spot of a pearly hue ; a little to the outward of this latter spot, and nearly in the centre of the ocellus, a black lunule- shaped marking stretches across; the discal areolet is thickly powdered over with white ; the broad space beyond and below the ocellus, from the tip of the wing to its interior base is fully occupied with numerous chaste wavy lines of reddish-brown, which
1 12 lines to the English inch.
BY A. W. SCOTT, MA. 39
become clouded towards the tip, but more distinct and vivid towards the basal portion, forming there five conjoined, semi-circular spots of dark brown, relieved by pale-coloured rings. The costa is very large and powerful; dark rich brown with numerous irregular, somewhat angular, transverse bars of yel- lowish-white.
Inferior wings, salmon coloured throughout. Head, thorax, and abdomen, salmon coloured.
The fanciful generic names usually adopted to distinguish the members of this family, has induced me to apply the equally fanciful one of Zelotypia to this new genus, derived from the male of these monsters possessing large dull-green eyes.
On the “ Agrotis vastator,’ a species of Moth, now infesting the Sea-board of New South Wales,
By A. W. Scott, M.A. [Read 21st October, 1867. ]
AGROTIS VASTATOR.
Agrotis vastator, A. W. Scott, M.S.S. W. B. Clarke, Sydney Morning Herald. Agrotis Spina? Guen: Brit. Mus. Cat., Lep. Het., p. 348, part 10.
Corpus robustum. Proboscis sat longa. Fasciculus frontalis prominens. Palpi breves, porrecti, pilosi; articulus 3us longi- conicus, 2i dimidio non longior. Antenne corporis dimidio paulo longiores: Mas. dimidio apicali pectinatee apices versus ciliate ; Fem. simplices graciles. Abdomen alas posticas paulo superans, planum non cristatum. Pedes anteriores parvi; posteriores longi, eraciles ; tibize anticee spinosz ; postice calcaribus quatuor longis. Ale longze, sat anguste, plane non diflexe ; anticee apud costam recte, apice vix angulate, margine exteriore sat obliquo.
Body robust. Proboscis rather long. Frontal tuft distinct. Palpi short, porrect, pilose ; middle joint about double the length of the terminal and half as long again as the basal. Antenne somewhat longer than half of the body ; Male pectinated to half its length, thence ciliated to the tip; Female setaceous, ciliated beneath. Abdomen extends a little beyond the hind wings, terminating in a small tuft, flat, not crested. Legs anterior pair small, tibie spinose in front; 2na pair longer with two spurs ; posterior pair long and thin with four long spurs ; tibiz and tarsi of all the legs covered with elongated scales and rows of sete. Wings long, rather narrow, flat not deflexed when at rest; fore wings straight in front, hardly angular at the tips, slightly oblique along the exterior border.
Length of the body 12 lines: of the wings 24 lines.’
Male: fore wings shining light brown, mottled with darker: a velvety black lanceolate longitudinal discal band, containing
1 . 2 ° A line is equal to 35 inch.
—ge
BY A. W. SCOTT, M.A. Al
within it, near to each extremity, two spots of light colour bordered by a thin black line, the exterior one reniform and much the largest, the interior one orbicular with, in some, a black centre. Numerous wavy transverse lines, generally very indistinct, but in some specimens well defined: exterior margin entire with a fringe of silvery hue and bordered rather broadly by darkish brown ; hind wings light glossy neutral tint becoming towards the outer border much darker, and consequently making the marginal fringe more distinct than in the upper wing.
Female: wings similar in markings to those of the male but the colour is throughout much darker and richer.
The thorax of both sexes is similar in colour to the fore wings, and possesses well defined tippets: the abdomen resembles in hue the hind wings. ‘The sexes can readily be distinguished, by the male being light in colour, and having the antenne pectinated.
The eggs of lepidopterous insects, when laid in genial weather, will hatch in a few days; those in the autumn will remain quiescent during the winter, and come into existence the following spring. The duration of the Chrysalis stage is likewise extremely variable, and dependent on the difference of tem- perature. By keeping the egg and the chrysalis in an ice-house, their development may be retarded for two or three years. When removed to a hot-house, ten days or a fortnight will suffice to bring the insect into animated existence: the principle being beautifully illustrated by the late introduction of the ova of the Salmon and Trout into the Colony of Victoria.
The caterpillar of this moth is fleshy, a little attenuated at each extremity, sub-vermiform in appearance, and of a livid colour, varying much in shade, with the anterior segment furnished with a horny plate. It has sixteen feet, measures at maturity about 24. lines, and undergoes its transformation in the ground. The chrysalis is cylindro-conical, of a shining yellowish brown, and protected by a slight cocoon of a rough irregular ovoid form, composed of agglutinated earth.
The genus Agrotis' even in its limited sense, possesses very
1 Agrotis. Ochsenheimer; Stephens; Boisduval; British Museum - Catalogue, Lepidoptera Heterocera 3rd series, p. 303.
49 ON THE AGROTIS VASTATOR,
many species which have a range nearly world-wide. The cater- pillars of several species, such as the one now under consideration, are very destructive, on account of their numbers, feeding on the roots and leaves of low herbage, and hiding during the extreme heat of noon under clods of earth, stones and other convenient places. Their voracious attacks upon the growing crops in the field or in the garden, have been for many years past experienced to a frightful extent, and are too well known to require description. The number of larve in seasons which prove favourable for their development almost surpasses belief, but our astonishment will cease when we take into consideration the probable progeny of those vast numbers of moths now infesting the sea-board of this land for some hundred miles, each pair producing an off- spring of many hundreds, who in their turn, before the cold sets in, will prove equally prolific. The caterpillar no sooner emerges from the egg than it begins the great business of life, and falls vigorously to work—eating—and his growth is marvellously rapid; “few creatures can equal him in the capacity for doubling his weight, not even the starved lodging-house slavey when she gets to her new place, with carte-blanche allowance and the key of the pantry; for in the course of twenty-four hours, he will have consumed more than twice his own weight of food; and with such persevering avidity does he ply his pleasant task, that, it is stated, a caterpillar in the course of one month, has increased nearly ten thousand times his original weight on leaving the egg ; and to furnish this increase of substance, has consumed the pro- digious quantity of forty thousand times his weight of food— truly a ruinous rate of living!’ A few years ago on the Hunter River, I carefully examined a paddock of twenty-five acres, under oats for hay, which was much infested by the caterpillars of this species, and found that nearly every stalk had at least one cater- pillar on it, numbers had two; many three: taking the plants at twenty to the square foot, and each with only one caterpillar, the result would be 21,780,000 of these insects, and supposing that all these lived to become moths, each pair producing by the end of the season a progeny of 80,000,’ the total produce for the
1 British Butterflies, by W. S. Coleman, 1860. *. Reaumur.
- ——
BY A. W. SCOTT, M.A. 43
twenty-five acres would amonnt to 871,200,000,000. What then, calculating under the same conditions, would be the number of the caterpillars, which were, at the time I allude to, ravaging whole districts P—a long line of figures almost unpronounceable.
Allowing for every reasonable loss caused by weather, not unusually severe, accident, or by their numerous enemies, still there would remain quite sufficient to produce those vast numbers of moths, collected together from a wide range of country and seen clustering in caves, under ledges of rocks, in churches, houses, barns, in every nook and cranny where their gregarious habits lead them to, seeking shelter from the glare of day. I, therefore, think that this natural increase, aided by favourable weather, is quite sufficient to account for the swarms of moths recently seen in many localities, and remarked upon by several correspondents of the “ Sydney Morning Herald” without having recourse to improbable theories. All moths are in their primary stages purely terrestrial, and cannot “come in from the sea” in the sense used by a writer in the “ Newcastle Chronicle.” They cannot be born there, neither are their wings adapted for so long a flight as to cross the ocean from any point of land to the eastward of our coast, particularly “in the teeth of westerly winds.” Indeed many swarms of insects, besides the lepi- doptera, are known to be blown from the land, while a few others wilfully fly seaward under some unaccountable, almost insane, desire ; but all these inevitably perish. Mr. Lindley, when at Brazil, in 1803, saw an immense flight of butterflies for several days successively, which were observed never to settle, but flew in a direction from north-west to south-east, direct towards the ocean where they must certainly perish; and Mr. Barrow in 1797, writes “the locusts covered an area of nearly 2,000 square miles were driven into the sea by a north-west wind, and formed a bank three or four feet high, and when the wind was south-east, the stench was so powerful as to be perceptible at the distance of one hundred and fifty miles.”
Without multiplying instances I would suggest that the moths seen by vessels at sea were either endeavouring vainly to emigrate, or, what is far more probable, were driven away from the land by the prevalent westerly winds, and perished by
4.4, ON THE AGROTIS VASTATOR,
thousands in the ocean: those seen returning to the shore were the fortunate few that had escaped before being carried too far to sea. JI remember some years ago walking along the sands for about five miles, between Newcastle and Red Head, and I observed an almost continuous undulating line of dead bodies, several deep, of these moths, marking the wash of high water along the whole of this length of beach, interrupted only by the rocky headlands, and probably this exhibition of the fate of these insects in such vast numbers was continued for a con- siderable distance on either hand.
Were it not for the wholesale destruction of these vast assemblages of insect pests, caused by the violence of winds— by the fall of rain for several days successively—by sudden change of temperature—and by the host of enemies, following in their wake, consisting of insectivorous birds, and reptiles, and the numerous family of the Ichneumonide, I fear all the endeavours of man by artificial means to eradicate them would be baffled. The abundant food furnished by the roots and leaves of the various weeds and grasses growing over a vast extent of waste lands, will always ensure too ample a supply of such noxious creatures. We can, however, check in some degree the injury to our crops, and thus moderate the evil; by ploughing and harrowing the fallow lands, thus cutting off the immediate supply of food; by passing the roller again and again over the growing crops when practicable; and by encouraging, not molesting, the many species of birds that visit the fields in flocks on such occasions. I have seen crows, large brown hawks, magpies, cranes, spur-winged plovers, and a host of smaller birds, enjoying during the day ample meals furnished by these caterpillars, and had a great difficulty in preventing the overseer from driving them away “because,” he said, “ they eat the Incerne.’’ The large family of Ichneumons (little wasp-like creatures) is also a great ally of man in the war of extermination, for they pierce the bodies of the living caterpillars, depositing their eggs within them, and thus cause a slow but certain death before the larve can attain to the perfect or winged state, and on this account they ought to be encouraged. I add a few words to assist in that object, although with but faint hope of success.
BY A. W. SCOTT, M.A. 4S
The cocoons of the Ichneumons are silky, small, oval and yellowish ; attached in groups to walls, palings, and frequently over the remains of dead caterpillars: ‘“ these,’ Mr. Westwood observes, “ ignorant people mistake for the eggs of the caterpillar, and destroy, foolishly killing their benefactors.”
The present season, dry and warm, has been unusually pro- lific in the production of these insect pests, whose gregarious habits have been so well described by the Rev. W. B. Clarke of St. Leonard’s,* who, inter alia, says that the state of St. Thomas’ Charch, North Shore, on the 14th September, from the enormous numbers of moths, was such that Divine service could not be held therein; that seven days hard labour in endeavouring to subdue them had been spent in vain; and that he had counted more than 80,000 grouped together on the windows. Accounts from Newcastle, 70 miles to the north, Wollongong 40 miles to the south of Sydney, and other distant parts confirm this state- ment as to numbers, and clearly point out what has been, and assuredly leads us to the question what will be? should the weather continue as it is. Complaints have already reached us from Windsor, of whole fields of young Lucerne being destroyed by caterpillars, and the farmers appealing to the public for relief. The intelligent agriculturist will accept this warning, take time by the forelock, and quickly adopt such means as may be at his command—for half a loaf is better than none.
The remains of a moth which Mr. Clarke captured in 1851, near the summit of the Mount Kosciusco range in the Australian Alps, was sent to me by that gentleman for comparison with those moths now so abundant around us. I have placed this mutilated specimen under the microscope, and I believe it to be identical with the Agrotis above described. Mr. Clarke assures me that this insect was the species so celebrated for being the food of the aboriginals of that large district for many years gone by, and known by them as the Bougong. I have never visited the Upper Tumut, and know nothing personally about the history of these very remarkable moths.
* See Rev. W. B. Clarke’s interesting letter in the “Sydney Morning Herald,’’ 11th October, 1867.
46 ON THE AGROTIS VASTATOR,
I therefore add a few lines descriptive of their habits which I obtained from a source unmistakeably accurate, and which I hope will prove interesting.
In January and March of the year 1865, my friend Mr. Robert Vyner visited the Bougong Mountains, accompanied in the first instance by an aboriginal, “ Old Wellington,” and in the other by Mr. Sharp of Adelong, Old Wellington, and another black-fellow, both of these latter well acquainted with the habits of the moth, called by them “ Boogong” and “ Gnarliong,” indiscriminately. The tops of these mountains are composed of granite, and present a series of lofty peaks, and it was up one of these, named by the natives “ Numoiadongo” he and his com- panions toiled for nearly six hours before attaining the summit; so steep and rugged was the path that even the wild cattle never attempted to ascend to these heights.
The moths were found in vast assemblages sheltered within the deep fissures, and between the huge masses of rocks, which there form recesses, and might almost be considered as “ caves.” On both sides of the chasms the face of the stone was literally covered with these insects, packed closely side by side, over head and under, presenting a dark surface of a scale-like pattern— each moth, however, was resting firmly by its feet on the rock, and not on the back of others, as in a swarm of bees. So numerous were these moths that six bushels of them could easily have been gathered by the party at this one peak; and so abundant were the remains of the former occupants that a stick was thrust into the debris on the floor to a depth of four feet. Mr. Vyner tells me that on this occasion he ate, properly cooked by Old Wellington, about a quart of the moths, and found them exceedingly nice and sweet, with a flavour of walnut, so much so that he desires to have “another feed.” His clothes, by the moths dashing against them on being disturbed, were covered with honey, and smelt strongly of it for several days. At the time these multitudes assembled, the tea tree and the small stunted-looking white gums were in full blossom, no doubt yielding up their honied treasures to these nocturnal depredators, whose flight, when issuing from their hiding places to the feeding grounds, was graphically described by Old Wellington “very
BYGA WaisCOmns Mra: AZ
much like wind, or flock of sheep.” The Tumut blacks report that the moths do not congregrate on the high peaks in the spring time, but they first locate the lower mountains, feeding on the blossoms which appear there earlier, and then work their way up to the higher peaks where the plants are later in bloom.
The Bougong moths are collected and prepared for food by the Aborigines, in this wise—a blanket or sheet of bark is spread on the floor ; the moths on being disturbed with a stick, fall down, are gathered up before they have time to crawl or fly away, and thrust into a bag. To cook them a hole is made on a sandy spot, and a smart fire lit on it until the sand is thoroughly heated, when all portions left of the glowing coal are carefully picked out, for fear of scorching the bodies of the insects, (as in such a case, a violent storm would inevitably arise, according to their superstitious notions). The moths are now poured out of the bag, stirred about in the hot ashes for a short time, and then placed upon a sheet of bark until cold. The next process is to sift them carefully in a net, by which action the heads fall through, and thus, the wings and legs having been previously singed off, the bodies are obtained properly prepared. In this state they are generally eaten, but sometimes they are ground into a paste by the use of a smooth stone and hollow piece of bark, and made into cakes.
In this locality were seen many of these holes, having been formed years ago for a similar purpose by the then numerous blacks.
Mr. Vyner also mentions, that at the period of his visit to this peak, he saw hundreds of crows and magpies feeding upon these moths, and the foot marks and other tracks of native dogs and tiger cats were abundant, leading direct to the fissures of the rocks, and although he did not see these animals, he adds, “I am certain from their traces that they must feed upon them,” (the moths).
AS ON THE AGROTIS VASTATOR.
Notr.—Since the foregoing observations were written, a friend of mine, who resides on the Upper Tumut, forwarded to me a batch of moths, captured on the heights of the Bougong Mountains, purposely, at my solicitation, at the proper season, when the Bougong insect is known to congregate in such multi- tudes, and when the aborigines in former times were wont to assemble for the annual feast upon their bodies.
I found upon examination of these recently acquired speci- mens, that they consisted of the males and females of the Oxy- canus fuscomaculatus of the Brit. Mus. Cat. Lep. Het., p. 1574; the genus being the 12th of Stephen’s family, Hepialide. At this result I felt much relieved, for | had made many unsatisfac- tory enquiries, being doubtful of the genus Agrotis, respecting the habits of the larve, which produced in another stage an article of agreeable and nourishing food to the natives of the locality, so plentifully and probably for generations ; to these questions, I invariably received for answer, that no assembled multitude of caterpillars, sufficient to account for the vast hordes of Bougong moths, were known in the Tumut district.
It, therefore, appears highly probable that the present insect is the true Bougong Moth; and I give the following reasons for this belief :—the body is plump, very oily and sweet to the taste, characters similarly entertained by most of the species of the Cossidee and Hepialide ; and the larvee, being wnder-ground root- feeders, would not necessarily attract notice, either from their vast numbers or destructive qualities, the latter only exercised upon wild and valueless plants.
These natural conditions are wholly opposed to those pos- sessed by the Agrotis vastator; in whom the abdomen of the perfect insect is neither unctious nor palatable; and whose habits in the larval state are strictly external, and, at uncertain periods of visitation, highly injurious to the interests of man; characteristics perfectly sure to attract the attention of even the most unobservant to their existence.
On the Ornithoptera Cassandra, By A. W. Scort; M.A.
[Read 6th July, 1868.]
My friend, Mr. Edward P. Ramsay of Dobroyde, near Sydney, having sent me for examination a case containing numerous lepidopterous insects, collected for him by Mr. E. Spalding at Rockingham Bay, Northern Australia, during the months of December, January, and February last, I had the gratification of finding in this collection no less than nine males and seven females of the Ornithoptera Cassandra; an insect, the female of which, the male being then unknown, I described and figured in page 131, plate 10, of the first volume of our Transactions, from an individual captured at Port Denison in February 1862, by Mr. George Masters, now assistant Curator of the Australian Museum.
This was the only specimen I possessed to compare with those many nearly-allied species, said to be exclusively confined to Australia, and having a geographical range there from Richmond River, New South Wales, to Cape York, Queensland ; a latitudinal extent of nearly 1000 statute miles’; and likewise with those inhabiting the adjacent, as well as the more eastern of the Indian Islands, comprehending Woodlark and Darnley Islands, New Guinea, Amboyna, Solomon Islands, &c. As the members of this group closely resemble each other in form and colouring, I, therefore, experienced some difficulty in determining the species to be new: my view in this respect has however now been happily confirmed by the recent acquisition of so many fine examples of both sexes.
Before proceeding to furnish a detailed account of this species, I may be allowed to premise, with respect to the plumage of the female insects, now presented to view by these recently acquired specimens, that I find among themselves, considerable disparity in the size, not in the disposition, of the dull-whitish markings on the anterior wings; and more especially to those previously described; so much so as to necessitate a further description, supplemental to the one already given.
1'The expression “ extreme North of Australia,” used by Doubleday and Westwood, in defining the range of the Australian Ornithoptera, is incorrect. D
50 ON THE ORNITHOPTERA CASSANDRA,
These very deviations, however, tending as they do uniformly towards the diminution of the spots, as borne by the original specimen, itself comparatively obscure, render the majority of the species still more sombre and consequently more readily distinguishable from others of the family.
ORNITHOPTERA CASSANDRA.
Ornithoptera Cassandra. 9 W. MacLeay M.S. Scott Trans. Ent. Soc., N.S.W. Vol. 1., p. 181, pi. 10.
Male.......... length of wings: 743 lines largest, 67} lines smallest
of the 9 specimens. Superior wings. Upper surface deep velvety-black, relieved by two broad irregular curved bands of rich satiny green, which spring from the base; the one runs under the costa towards the anterior angle; the other, along the inner margin and the outer one, as far as the first discoidal nervule: immediately over this latter is placed a large brownish-patch, disposed longitudinally. Under surface, black, with a central spot, and a large macular band, formed of contiguous wedge-shaped spots, placed between the nervules, of gilded green. These wedge-shaped spots are dis- tinctly separated into two divisions by a broad black band. There are, also, two irregular greenish streaks towards the anterior angle, the inner one being short, almost macular. Inferior wings, upper surface, bright silky-green, with the entire marginal border and four, sometimes, five somewhat large oval spots, disposed between the costal nervure and the first, or second median nervule, one in each space, velvet-black : between these spots and the posterior border are two, or, three minute golden-orange specks, which, however, are not seen in some of the specimens. This tendency to change also exists in the large quadrate golden-coloured space at the immediate basal portion of the anterior margin, shown by some, while in others it is much lessened, or nearly obsolete. Long, fine, closely-set dark-brown hairs spring from immediately under-
Female
sone
BY A. W. SCOTT, M.A. 51
neath the inner margin, and rising upwards partially envelope the upper portion of the abdomen. The outline of the nervures are easily traceable by narrow, but distinct, lines of black. Under surface, cor- responds to the upper, but the green is of a more golden hue; the black spots, here seven in number, become larger and less oval, and the nervures are broadly picked out with black.
Head and thoraw deep black, the latter bearing above a central line of satiny-green, and below crimson spots on either side. Abdomen bright golden-yellow. length of wings, 93 lines largest ; 87 lines smallest of the eight specimens.
Superior wings, upper surface rich black-brown, re- lieved with various irregular patches and spots of impure white, similar to, but in lesser degree than any of its congeners, Three of these, more or less developed, are placed in the discoidal cell ; one, rarely two, immediately under; and a series beyond these, running obliquely across the wing, exhibits in some specimens (see plate 10, vol. 1) largish and ‘distinct markings; in others, small and faint; in the first case they become parted into two at the discoidal nervules, in the other, indistinct, almost obsolete. A few small spots, absent in some, along the outer margin, complete the whole relief of this sombre insect. Under surface similarly marked to the upper. Inferior wings, upper surface possesses four wedge- shaped markings of dusky white placed one in each space, between the second sub-costal and third median nervules, although in some specimens, that one between the second sub-costal and first median nervules, is obsolete, exhibiting only a small trian- gular spot at its lower end, the black ground colour of the wing entirely covering the remaining space. These markings become dull ochraceous towards their outer margins, and bear in their centres large, some- what heart-shaped spots of dark brown, which unite in the disc with the median nervules.
52 ON THE ORNITHOPTERA CASSANDRA,
A sub-quadrate patch of dull ochraceous colour, is placed over the anal angle; and two other spots of brightish yellow are situated between the first and second sub-costal nervules, near to the anterior angle. Under surface similar to the upper, but the white is purer, and a bright yellow replaces the ochraceous tint. The margins of the wedge-shaped patches are also entire.
Head and thorax dark black-brown, the Jatter bearing above a central longitudinal band of satiny green, and below crimson spots on each side. The abdomen dark black-brown, grayish towards the tip, and broadly barred underneath with yellow bands.
Habitat: Port Denison and Rockingham Bay, Northern Australia.
In estimating the distinctive characters, I shall limit my comparisons to those species only, which are comprised within Doubleday and Westwood’s Ist group of the genus Ornithoptera, and which exhibit the peculiar type of colouring, and occupy the same geographical range of the present insect: purposely excluding the 2nd group, represented by the Ampbhrisius, Amphimedon, Darsits, Pompeius, and others, from their marked dissimilarity.
The Ornithoptera Cassandra differs ; from the O. Priamus by being smaller; by the males possessing on the under wings small golden specks over the outer margin, instead of two large ones, and by the absence of one, between the costal nervure and sub-costal nervule ; by having on the underneath surface of the upper wings, a distinct double row of gilded-green spots; by the females bearing a green stripe on the thorax ; by the various white patches on the anterior wing being smaller and less numerous; and by the much larger spots of fuscous-brown which occupy the central portions of the tear, or, wedge-shaped markings on the posterior wing.
From the O. Pronomus, it differs by not exhibiting in the males, the central veins of metallic green, additional to the two curved bands on the anterior wing; by having four or five black spots, instead of three, on the posterior wing: on the underneath of
BY A. W. SCOTT, M.A. 53
the superior wing, by the much lesser green discal spot, and by the contiguous macular band being separated into two: by the females in the several markings of impure white being very much smaller and by the tear-shaped spots being of different form, with their centres more occupied by dark-brown.
From the O. Huphorion, (of which the female is only known) it differs by the faint white band in the discoidal cell and by the streak between the fourth and fifth sub-costal nervules of the primary wings not containing within it the small black spot, so minutely detailed and figured in the Brit. Mus. Cat. p. 4, pl. 2, fig. 3, as characteristic of the Euphorion; by the whole surface being much more obscure; and by carrying on the thorax the green longitudinal stripe—not seen in any of the specimens of the Euphorion, collected by the late Allan Cunningham,—nor in those now in the cabinet of Mr. W. Macleay.
From the O. Richmondia, it differs by being much larger ; by the males showing on the upper surface of the anterior wing more distinctly the inner marginal green border, and on the under surface a much smaller green discoidal marking: by the females possessing the tear-shaped markings more occupied by the dark- brown spots within them; by the more general sombre appear- ance; and by the green stripe on the thorax.
From the O. Poseidon (of which the male is only known) it differs by not exhibiting “the rich green colour which extends along both sides of the median nervure and partly, or, entirely along the course of the nervules of the primary wings towards the outer margin” (O. Poseidon, Brit. Mus. Cat.) ; and by having on the under-side the transverse macular band separated into two parts.
From the O. Archideus, (of which the female is only known) it differs by “the white of the secondary wings” not “ reaching to the disco-cellular nervules and a portion of the median nervule,” nor “ occupying a small space within the discoidal cell.”
And from the O. Victorizw, (of which the female is only known) it differs by the far greater obscurity of colouring of the entire surface ; the whitish markings being in no ways propor- tionate to those of the Victorie; indeed rendering a further comparison between them needless.
Description of new species of Articerus, By Rev. R. L. Kine, B.A. [Read Ist October, 1868. ]
THE genus Articerus was first established by Dalman* upon a species, named by him A. armatus, which had been discovered in gum-copal. He was not able, however, to give any very detailed description ; nor was any thing more known of the genus until the Rev. Mr. Hopey described and figured a species sent to England from South Australia under the name A. Fortnwmi. The next additions made to the genus were those contained in - Westwood’s Monograph of Australian and other Pselaphide in the Transactions of the Entomological Society of London (Vol. TIL, N.S., p. 271). He added A. curvicornis, angusticollis, dila- ticornis, and setipes, all from Victoria, and A. braziliensis from South America. Pascoe has since described a species from Western Australia, under the name A. Bostockii, and has dis- tinguished the species found so abundantly in South Australia, near Gawler, by my friend Mrs. J. Kreusler, under the name A. Odewahnii. It is evident, however, that both these last species are remarkably close to, if not identical with the original species described by Hope, as A. Fortnumi. A. Duboulayi has been added by Waterhouse from Western Australia—a species from Syria, (A. Syriacus) has also been described; and another from North America, (A. Fuchsii) has been added, vide Proceedings of Soc. Phil., 1866.
The species Braziliensis and Fuchsii appear to have been removed from the genus Anticerus, by Brendel, and placed under the new genus Fustiger; (fustis gero). Not having had an opportunity of consulting the diagnosis of the genus, I can only imagine that the peculiar elongate antennz of the former species have been regarded as of sufficient importance to justify the erection of a
* Dalman, Om., Ins, innes i Copal, p. 23. + Ann. Nat. Hist. XI., p. 319; and Trans. Ent. Soc., London, IV., p. 106, pl. viii.
BY! THEVREVe Rel ICING ByA. 55
new genus. In this particular, however, the species placed under the new name are certainly united with A. Fortnumi, Bostockit, and Odewahnii, and in a less decided way with A. Curvicornis. I prefer, therefore, for the present, to place the first of the species which I am about to describe under the old genus ; although from its singular resemblance to A. Braziliensis, it may eventually find itself under the new genus F'ustiger.
These insects are rare in New South Wales. But their small size, and particularly the ferocity of the ants, under whose protection they live, may in some measure account for the infrequency of their capture. I have been able, however, to add four species to our Colonial Fauna. A. angusticollis occurs in ants’ nests, at Paramatta, and in the Liverpool Plains. A. setipes was captured by my son, Mr. R. King, at Goono Goono, in the Liverpool Plains district—hardly differing from specimens in my cabinet from Gawler, South Australia. A. cwrvicornis is frequently captured at Liverpool, in the nest of the small black ant—and differs only in its somewhat smaller size from the description given by Westwood, (Loe. cit.) of Melbourne speci- mens. The fourth species, A. regius (mihi) is as far as is yet known peculiar to Liverpool. Mr. Masters has also captured a species in debris, after a flood, at Rope’s Creek, near Penrith, which I have described as A. breviceps.
ARTICERUS REGIUS.
Obscure castaneus, elytrorum disco pallidiori, punctatissimus, minute pubescens ; capite oblongo, antennis capite longiori- bus linearibus cylindricis ad basin constrictis; thorace sub- globoso, lateribus rotundatis ; elytris sutura nigricante et linea suturali notatis ; abdomine nitido parcissime setoso ; pedibus robustis, tibiis maris prioribus et intermediis ad medium dentatis.
Long. mas. .14 poll.
fend. 31.0) by
Ants’ nests in wood ; Liverpool, New South Wales, from June to September.
56 NEW SPECIES OF ARTICERUS,
A specimen of the male has been deposited in the Australian Museum, and another in the collection of W. Macleay, Esq.
The correspondence between this species and A. Braziliensis, as described and figured by Westwood, (Loc. cit.) is certainly very close. Yet the specific differences are quite sufficient to leave no doubt on my mind that our insect is quite distinct from the American. A. regius has neither the foveoles on the thorax nor the discoidal striz on the elytra, which mark the Braziliensis. Westwood also describes the legs of the latter as graciles, a term which might apply to those of the female of regius, but by no means to those of the male. In our species, the fore tibiee of the male are deeply notched and toothed. The intermediate legs have the tibiz toothed at the middle, and the femur is armed with a strong spine. The female, which is much smaller, has all the legs unarmed.
The head is slightly enlarged between the antenne. The antenne are nearly straight, cylindrical, and very slightly enlarged towards either extremity. They are somewhat longer than the head.
Westwood says of A. Braziliensis that it is very distinct from all the Australasian species in its sub-cylindrical antenne, and in the form and sculpture of the head and thorax. This discovery of our present species greatly qualifies this assertion, and adds another to an already considerable list of forms existing in the fauna of Australia closely allied to those of South America.
ARTICERUS BREVICEPS.
Brunneus setosus; capite brevi postice rotundato, antennis capite longioribus ad apicem clavatis truncatis ; thorace ad medium valde. depresso, ante medium latiori, postice subro- tundato ; elytris stria suturali notatis.
Long. .10.
Rope’s Creek ; under debris after a flood. Mr. Masters.
The head is very short, increasing in breadth to the eyes ; the breadth behind the eyes being nearly equal to the whole length. The antenne are longer than the head, thin at the base, but
BY THE REV. R. L. KING, B.A. aa
gradually increasing in thickness for about one-half the length, and then swelling into a truncate knob; and bearing no slight resemblance to an aboriginal’s “ waddy.”’
The species is very distinct from all the other members of the
genus.
The whole genus, as far as is now known, consists of the following species :—
et
pry pet co bo
FSO ON om OO hp ab b&b hp bh &
Pa ps
. Articerus armatus.. Dalman, the type of the genus.
. (Fustiger) Braziliensis. I. O. Westwood, S. America. . (Fustiger) Fuchsii. Brendel, Tennesee.
. (? Fustiger) regius BR. L. K., New South Wales.
. Fortnumi. Hope, South Australia.
. Bostockii. Pascoe, Western Australia.
. Odewahnit. Pascoe, South Australia.
. curvicornis. I. O. Westwood, N. S. W. and Victoria. . breviceps. R. L. K., New South Wales.
. angusticollis. I. O. Westwood, N.S. W. and Victoria. . setipes. I. O. Westwood, N. 8. W., South Australia,
and Victoria.
. Duboulaywi. Waterhouse, Western Australia. . Spriacus. Saulcy, Syria.
On the Scaritide of New Holland, by Witi1am MacLray, Esq., F.L.S.
4TH PAPER.
[Read 6th September, 1869. ]
It is now more than four years since I wrote my third paper on the Scaritide of New Holland, and during that period large additions have, as I anticipated, been made to the list of species received from various parts of Australia. I am desirous now of adding to that list a few species which have come under my notice since the date of my last publication, but before doing so, I shall take the opportunity thus afforded me of making some observations on the genera and species of the Family described by Count de Castelnau, in the 1st volume of the Transactions of the Royal Society of Victoria, and on the excellent little treatise on the genus Carenuwm, by M. Le Baron de Chandoir, published a few months ago in the Transactions of the Entomological Society of Belgium.
The first-enamed of these Hntomologists has, in the above cited work, described thirty-four new species of the Family, has merged my genus Hwryscaphus in the genus Scaraphites, has reconstituted the genus Hutoma of Newman, and has formed a new genus under the name of Neocarenwn.
The reason assigned by Count Castelnau for the rejection of the genus Huryscaphus, is that the character on which I founded ‘its divison from Scaraphites, viz.,.some difference in the form of the elytra, is neither constant nor of generic importance.
A reference, however, to my description of Huryscaphus (Trans. Ent. Soc., N.S.W., vol. 1., page 187) will show that the Count is mistaken in supposing that I formed the genus upon any characters as distinct from Scaraphites, though I certainly point out the very different shape of the abdomen in the two genera. It will be found that on the contrary 1 point out the almost perfect identity in many respects of Huryscaphus with Carenum. In fact, the Huryscaphi are gigantic Oarenwms, and are
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ, F.L.S. 59
as far removed from Scaraphites, as are any two genera of the Family. They differ in the head, palpi, thorax, elytra, and legs, while in all these Huryscaphus nearly agrees with Carenwm.
That there may be insects as stated by Count Castelnau, which form an insensible passage between Huryscaphus and Scaraphites, I will not deny, but I have not seen any, and the instance cited by the Count, viz., Scaraphites Heros, certainly does not from his description bear out the assertion.
But even so, I cannot admit that the discovery of a species which appears to form a link between any two genera, is any reason for the rejection of either of these genera.
Of the eight species of Scaraphites, described by Count Castelnau in the paper above referred to, probably four species, viz.; Howittii, affinis, carbonarius, and Hopet, belong to the genus Euryscaphus, while the species named Heros, humeralis, gigas, and Murtinii, seem to be Scaraphites.
Count Castelnau appends a note to these descriptions in which he gives it as his opinion that Scaraphites rotundipennis Dejean, M’ Leayi Westw., and intermedius mihi, are all the same species. And here again I must complain of the Count’s assertion, that I rely entirely on the number of the marginal punctures on the elytra for differential characters between these three species. In page 190 of the first volume of our Transactions, I give a detailed description of Scaraphites intermedius, and append to it a remark to the effect, that a ready mode of recognizing the three species, without the trouble of a close examination, is to count these lateral punctures of the elytra, which though not constant in number, seemed to be generally must numerous in rotwndipennis, and least so in intermedius.
T have no doubt myself that intermedius is a distinct species ; the other two, though apparently distinct, may be merely local varieties.
Twelve new species have been added to the genus Oarenum, in the Count’s paper ; one of these he gives as a mere re-descrip- tion of C. atronitens mihi, but it is really a new species which I have named in my cabinet, C. Gawlerense, and I would suggest that it should bear the name henceforth of C. Gawlerense of Castel- nau, as that gentleman was the first to describe it. This species
60. ON THE SCARITIDA OF NEW HOLLAND,
and O. devastator belong to the croup in my list of Scaritidx, page 196, loc. cit., which begins with O. quadripunctatum. C. Bris- banense, ebeninum, and Westwoodii belong to the O. Bonellii group ; C. carbonariwm and Schomburgkii to the O. marginatum group ; C: splendens and Odewahnii to the C. coruscwm group; and O. multiimpressum to the O. Spencii group. The other two species, C. superbum and amabile, both very remarkable insects from the Lachlan, are referred by the Baron de Chandoir, to a new genus which he has named Oonopterum, from the peculiar shape of the elytra.
The genus Neocarenwm has been established by Count Castelnau, on two species, singulave and Kreusleri, one of which is certainly my Carenum elongatwm, and the other is probably only a variety. It occupies an intermediate position between the genera Oarenum and Eutoma.
Of the last named genus, which will include the six species in the C. tinctillatum group of my list of Scaritide alluded to above, and the first three species of the CO. violacewm group, Count Castelnau has re-described carefully Newman’s original species, (tinctillatwm) and described six new species, viz., episcopale, New- mani, filiforme, purpuratum, leve, and Loddonense. He has also added six species to the genus Scarites, viz.: substriatus, plicatulus, Mitchellii, Bostockii, ruficornis, and bipunctatus.
M. le Baron de Chandoir’s “note on the genus Carenwm,” above referred to, is deserving of special attention, inasmuch as it is the production of one who is a very high authority upon the Carabide generally, and who, has evidently paid great attention — to the study of this particular sub-family.
He suggests in the first instance, a sub-division of the genus, founded upon more constant and reliable characters than those adopted by me in my list of the Australian Scaritidee.
It is evident, however, that the Baron, though having a most thorough* Entomological knowledge of his subject, has in his possession but few of the many species of the genus, and that therefore he is not in the best position to judge of the simplest way to render the species recognizable, which is in fact the real intent and meaning of these numerous sub-divisions.
The Baron’s sub-divisions are, however, perfectly unexcep-
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ., F.LS. 61
tionable, and I incline to think that his Section 1, “ Hlytra juxta marginem costigera” including Carenwm tuberculatum mihi and CO. carinatum mihi (which I have no doubt is the second species alluded to by the Baron, under the name of M‘Leayi) ought to constitute a distinct genus.
The new species of Carenwm described in the Baron’s paper, are, CO. foveigerum of the C. Spencii group; CO. transversicolle, the position of which is somewhat doubtful ;* C. Castelnau, of the QO. Bonelli group, and probably identical with C. interruptum mihi; and C. converum of the CO. marginatum group.
M. le Baron has also formed a genus upon three species, which differ chiefly from all the others of the Family, in having only one external tooth to the anterior tibie. This genus he has named Monocentrum, and in addition to Oarenum megacephalum of Westwood, which he has referred to it, he has described two new species named respectively, grandiceps and longiceps. I have never met with any one of the three species, nor have I ever seen anything at all even remotely referable to the genus.
Under the name of Conopterwm insigne, the Baron de Chandoir describes a peculiar form of insect also unknown to me, and it is to the same genus that he believes the species Carenwm superbum and amabile of Castelnau mentioned above, should be referred. The most marked characteristics of the genus are, a large head with elytra broad at the base, and gradually decreasing towards the apex.
The genus Carenidium of the same author is formed on the Carenum gagatinum mihi. It is clearly a good genus, in the form of the elytra, somewhat resembling the last, but its most marked characteristics are its excavated labrum and pointed antenne. As the Baron de Chandoir’s treatise on the genus Carenum above referred to, in which this genus (Carenidium) is described, is not easily procurable in Sydney, I will, when I come
* Since writing the above, I have seen a specimen of this insect among some Coleoptera, sent by Mr. Diggles from Moreton Bay. The impunctate elytra would place it in the C. politwm group, but the transverse rectangular thorax agrees with that of C. rectangulare, and is utterly unlike that of any other species of Carenwm.
62 ON THE SCARITIDA OF NEW HOLLAND,
to the descriptions of two species to be added to it, give the Baron’s characters of the genus in full.
One remarkable species, Cavenwm mucronatum, which I have described in the Proceedings of the Ent. Soc., N.S.W., of the 2nd. October, 1865, is not noticed by either of the above named Entomologists, and from that I infer that they have never seen it. I only know of two specimens of it, one in the collection of the Rev. R. L. King, the other in my own.
The following species are I believe new :—
CaARENUM SEXPUNCTATUM.
Nigrum nitidum purpureo-marginatum, elytris sexpunctatis subtilissime striatis, tibiis anticis extus bidentatis. Long. 11 lin., lat. 35 lin. Hab., Lower Murrumbidgee.
This species is of the size and general appearance of 0. interruptum, but is altogether more brilliant. Its chief peculiarity consists in having two punctures about a line apart, and parallel to the suture, on the apical third of the elytra. Its habitat seems to be the sand hills of the Riverine country.
CARENUM CYANIPENNE.
Nigrum nitidissimum sulcis frontalibus subparallelis, thorace subquadrato angulis posticis rotundatis subemarginatis, elytris subovatis convexis nigro-cyaneis subpurpurascenti- bus quadripunctatis, tibiis anticis extus bidentatis.
Long. 7 lin., lat. 24 lin.
Hab., South Australia.
The only two species of the O. Bonellii group, to which this insect belongs, heretofore described from South Australia, are CO. anthracinum mihi and OC, ebeninuwm Casteln. The present species differs from both in being of less size and more brilliancy. The head is broad, with the facial grooves short and nearly parallel. The thorax is rather broader than long, with the anterior angles somewhat prominent, and the posterior cut away and very slightly emarginated. The elytra are oval, very smooth,
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ, F.L.S. 63
and of a beautiful dark violet tinge, with two well-marked puncti- form impressions on each, one near the shoulder, the other towards the apex.
CargeNnuM CHAUDOIRI.
Nigrum nitidum sulcis frontalibus divergentibus, thorace sub- quadrato postice subviolaceo, elytris subangustis subtilissime striato-punctatis nigro-violaceis quadripunctatis, tibiis anticis extus bidentatis.
Long. 9 lin., lat. 23 lin.
Hab., Australia.
I have no record of the particular habitat of this insect, nor of how I became possessed of the single specimen of it in my cabinet. It is in many respects like OC. Bonellii, but differs from it in having the shallow transverse depression on the forehead less marked, in the colour which has no shade of green, and in the narrow form and more distinct sculpture of the elytra.
CARENUM OPACUM.
Nigrum opacum sulcis frontalibus divergentibus, thorace sub- quadrato, elytris viridi-aureis subtilissime et confertissime punctulatis quadripunctatis, tibiis anticis extus bidentatis.
Long. 10 lin, lat. 3 lin. Hab., Clarence River.
This species is also in many respects like C. Bonellii. The facial grooves, however, are longer and deeper, and the transverse depression behind more deep and circular. The thorax is some- times of the same dull golden green as the elytra. These last, under a lens, show a surface completely and closely covered with very minute punctures, giving a shagreen appearance, and no doubt causing the dull appearance so characteristic of the species.
CARENUM TRISTE.
Nigrum subopacum sulcis frontalibus divergentibus, thorace subquadrato angulis posticis rotundatis, elytris ovatis qua- dripunctatis, tibiis anticis extus bidentatis.
Long. 8 lin., lat. 25 lin.
Hab., Wide Bay.
64 ON THE SCARITIDA OF NEW HOLLAND,
This species is of a less elongate form than C. Bonellii, and much narrower than C. interruptum. It is entirely of a dullish black without any apparent marginal colouring.
CarENuM KINGII.
Nigrum nitidum violaceo-marginatum sulcis frontalibus paral- lelis, thorace subtranverso postice rotundato subemarginato, elytris opacis bipunctatis, tibiis anticis extus bidentatis.
Long. 9 lin., lat. 3 lin.
Hab., Liverpool Plains.
The Rev. R. L. King has kindly lent me this insect for description. It was taken by him at Goondo Goonoo, Liverpool Plains, and is I believe unique in his collection. The dull appearance of the elytra is caused by close and minute punctura- tion, as in the case of C. opacwm and others of the genus.
CARENUM PROPINQUUM.
Nigrum nitidum violaceo-marginatum sulcis frontalibus sub- parallelis, thorace subtransverso antice transversim impresso postice rotundato subemarginato, elytris subtilissime striato- punctatis postice fortiter bipunctatis, tibiis anticis extus bidentatis.
Long. 6 lin., lat. 2 lin.
Hab., Liverpool Plains.
The insect differs from the last, which it closely resembles, in its smal] size, in the transverse impression on the anterior portion of the thorax, and in the sculpture of the elytra, which are not dull, are minutely striato-punctate, and have the two punctures near the apex large and deep.
The Rev. Mr. King captured this insect in the same locality as the last described one.
CARENUM NITESCENS.
Nigrum nitidissimum planum capite bisulcato sulcis latis rugosis divergentibus, thorace subquadrato angulis posticis rotun- dato linea dorsali fortiter impresso postice utrinque foveolato,
7
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ, F.LS. 65
elytris subovatis purpureo-marginatis postice fortiter bipunc- tatis humeris prominentibus, tibiis anticis extus bidentatis. Long. 6 lin., lat. 2 lin. Hab., Salt Lake, Hummock Range, South Australia.
The flat appearance of this insect is its most striking character. It is of a very brilliant black, with the sides of the elytra of a violet tinge. The frontal grooves diverge a little behind, and the face on each side of them is rugose. The thorax is as long as broad, gradually narrowing from behind the middle to the posterior angles which are slightly emarginated, the dorsal line is strongly marked, and on each side of it towards the posterior angles, there is a roundish fovea. The elytra are as broad as the thorax, with the humeral angles advanced, and the puncture near the apex well marked.
I am indebted to Mr. Odewahn for this as well as many other of the South Australian species of Scaritide.
CARENUM INEDITUM.
Nigrum nitidum viridi-marginatum sulcis frontalibus sub- parallelis, thorace transverso postice rotundato, elytris "A impunctatis, tibiis anticis extus bidentatis.
Long. 8 lin., lat. 2$ lin. Hab., South Australia.
The absence of the usual punctiform impression on the elytra,
will place this insect in the same group with C. levipenne mihi,
and in general appearance it is not unlike that species.
CARENUM RUFIPES.
Violaceum nitidissimum, capite nigro magno sulcis frontalibus divergentibus, thorace transverso late marginato, abdomine ovato, elytris seriatim punctulatis postice bipunctatis, pedi- bus subrufis, tibiis anticis extus tridentatis dente tertio minuto.
Long. 8 lin., lat. 3 lin.
Hab., Stirling Range, Western Australia.
This very beautiful and distinct species is represented in the
Sydney Museum, by one rather immature specimen taken by H
a £
66 ON THE SCARITIDH OF NEW HOLLAND,
Mr. Masters, at the place above mentioned. O. campestre mihi is the species of the group which it most resembles in general form.
CARENUM SUBCYANEUM.
Nigrum nitidum viridi-marginatum sulcis frontalibus sub- parallelis, thorace transverso marginato postice lobato truncato utrinque emarginato, elytris nigro-cyaneis sub- purpurascentibus postice bipunctatis tibiis anticis extus tridentatis.
Long. 8 lin., lat. 3 lin.
Hab., South Australia.
The above measurement is taken from the largest sized, but most perfect of five specimens in my possession. Probably 7 lines is nearer the average length. It is very different from the other species of the group in which its tridentate tibie will place it.
CARENUM DISPAR.
Nigrum nitidum viridi-marginatum sulcis frontalibus sub- parallelis, thorace transverso marginato postice rotundato vix lobato, elytris subpurpurascentibus antice latis subtrun- catis postice bipunctatis, tibiis anticis extus tridentatis.
Long. 9 hn., lat. 33 lin.
Hab., South Australia.
This also differs from the group in which my subdivision of the genus would place it, in its parallel frontal grooves, and non- oval elytra, its transverse broadly margined thorax is however uite in character with the group.
CARENUM ORDINATUM.
igrum nitidum late atro-viridi-marginatum, sulcis frontalibus divergentibus, thorace transverso postice rotindato sublo- bato, elytris ovatis seriatim punctulatis postice bipunctatis, tibiis anticis extus tridentatis.
Long. 11 lin., lat. 33 lin.
Hab., South Australia.
x
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ,, F.L.S. 67
The affinity of this species is to CO. Odewahnii Castelnau ; it differs from it chiefly in its darker and duller appearance, and in having seven rows of distinct but shallow punctures on each elytron.
Hutoma MAstTerst.
Nigrum nitidum, elytris nitidissimis violaceo-marginatis leviter striato-punctatis postice bipunctatis. Long. 64 lin., lat. 1} lin. Hab., Dabee, near Mudgee. The punctured striz on the elytra of this species are quite apparent under a common lens, and in this respect it may be readily distinguished from any species hitherto described.
Eutoma DtcGuLest.
Nigrum nitidum, thorace oblongo antice truncato postice rotun- dato medio canaliculato transversim substriato viridi- marginato, elytris viridibus violaceo-marginatis quadri- punctatis.
Long. 63 lin., lat. 1} lin.
Hab., Moreton Bay. ?
I am not certain of the habitat of this species. The only specimen I have seen was sent from Brisbane by Mr. Diggles, with a number of Coleoptera, many of which were not Queensland insects.
The four punctures on the elytra of this species are remarkable, inasmuch as it is the first of the genus in which the number has exceeded two. The punctures are very large, and are fd much in the same way as in Carenwm Bonellit.
Two very remarkable insects may here be noticed; they are probably of different and undescribed genera, but their very imperfect state, both being without antennz or palpi, renders it impossible to give their proper characters. Their elongated form, however, and narrowly shouldered elytra seem to corres- pond so closely with the species “ elongatuwm,” upon which the
68 ON THE SCARITIDZ OF NEW HOLLAND,
Count de Castelnau has formed the genus Neocwrenwm, that for the present I will refer them to that genus.
NEOcARENUM MAsTERSI.
Nigrum subnitidum sulcis frontalibus divergentibus postice profunde antice leviter impressis, thorace elongato postice rotundato, elytris elongatis seriatim profunde punctatis ; tibiis anticis extus bidentatis.
Long. 17 lin., lat. 4 lin.
Hab., Mount Barker, Western Australia.
The enormous size and remarkably elongated form of this insect separates it at once from all others of the Scaritide known tome. The marking also of the elytra is unusual. There are nine rows of punctures on each elytron, those towards the sides are almost obsolete, but the five rows on each side of the suture are composed of close, large, deep punctures. The fore legs are very strong.
NEOCARENUM RUGOSULUM.
Nigrum subopacum elongatum capite leviter bisuleato, thorace subnitido postice subrotundato linea dorsali leviter impressa, elytris angustis ad suturam depressis leviter striatis, tibiis anticis extus bidentatis.
Long. 8 lin., lat. 2 lin.
Hab., Salt Lake, Hummock Range, South Australia.
I received a single and imperfect specimen of this curious insect, from Mr. Odewahn, a few days ago. The whole upper surface, the thorax excepted, has a slightly rugose appearance, the striz on the elytra, though slight, are distinct, and of a wavy character. The sutural portion of the elytra is deeply indented. There is a well defined punctiform impression on the apical portion of the left elytron, but I cannot find any trace of a similar impression on the other.
Genus Carenipium. Chaudoir.
Frons profunde bisulcata; clypeuws ad labri latera utrinque longius dentatus convexus valde declivis, inter dentes pro-
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ., F.L.S. 69
funde emarginatus, labrum amplectens. Caput maximum ; mandibulee crasse validaque.
Palpi mawillares (modice labiales latissime securiformes.)
Labrum parvum, antice profunde emarginatum, margine antico declivi excavato.
Antenne tenues, thoracis basi breviores, apicem versus attenu- ate, articulis septem ultimis elongato-quadratis, angustis, valde compressis et utrinque omnino glabris, margine tan- tum utroque pubescente, ultimo precedente plus dimidio longiore, apicem versus sensim angustato, subacuminato, summo apice piligero.
Prosternum inter coxas triangulare subexcavatum.
Episterna metasterni latitudine longiora.
Abdominis segmenia postice medio haud punctigera.,
Tibie antice extus bidigitate intermedie extus apice spina longiuscula tenui armata.
Elytrorwm margo tenuis (ut in Carenis), ad humeros haud inflatus, usque ad pedunculum productus.
Habitus elongatus, elytris elongato-ovatis, convexis.
With two exceptions, the above is an exact copy of Baron de Chaudoir’s description of this genus. I have inserted a descrip- tion of the Palpi, which were wanting in the Baron’s specimen, and I have omitied the word “impunctatis,”’ as applied to the elytra, as I have now to describe a species which has four punctures on the elytra, as in Carenwm Bonellii, and yet is a most perfect example of the genus Carenidiwm.
CARENIDIUM DAMELIL.
Subnitidum supra eneo-viride subtus nigrum, elytris quadri- punctatis obsolete striato-punctatis.
Long. 14 lin,, lat. 44 lin.
Hab., Cape York.
A single specimen of this fine insect was taken at Cape York, by Mr. Damel, after whom I have named it.
70 ON THE SCARITIDA OF NEW HOLLAND.
CARENIDIUM KREUSLERA.
Nigrum subnitidum viridi-marginatum, elytris obsolete striato- punctatis.
Long. 15 lin., lat. 4 lin. Hab., South Australia.
This species differs from OC. gagatinwm in having the labrum less deeply emarginated, the thorax and elytra deeply bordered with dull green, and these last indistinctly striated and punctured.
The only specimen I have seen, was sent to me by Mr. Odewahn, labelled “from Mrs. Kreusler, found near Gawler.”
SCARAPHITES MAsTERsI.
Niger nitidus, capite profunde biimpresso rugoso, thorace transverso lateribus rotundato postice truncato, elytris latis subtilissime striato-punctulatis punctis: marginalibus con- fertis, sub-marginalibus sex, postice suturam versus tribus impressis.
Long. 18 lin., lat. 8 lin.
Hab., Mount Barker, Western Australia.
One specimen of this fine insect was brought by Mr. Masters from Western Australia, and is now in the Sydney Museum. The species it most resembles, is the Scaraphites Silenus, of Westwood, but it differs from it very much in the elytra, which are more elongated in the present insect, are less distinctly striated, have the striz finely punctured, and have three large punctures towards the apex placed parallel to the suture.
On the Byrrhides of Australia, by the Rev. R. L. Kine, B.A.
[Read 22nd November, 1869.]
ALTHOUGH the family is not numerously represented in Australia, yet two of the genera, being peculiar to Australasia, are not without interest. The genus Microchetes was described by Mr. Hope, in the Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, (Vol. I., p. 153) and founded upon a species named by him M. sphericus. The genus differs from the Syncalypta of Stephens, principally in the antennee, of which the first joint is rather long, the second to the eighth gradually decreasing in length; the elytra are covered with tufts of stiff and generally truncate sete analogous to those which exist in Nosodendron.
Tt is possible that future Entomologists will prefer reuniting Microcheetes with Syncalypta, the comparative size of the different joints of so variable an organ as the antenne being an unsafe character on which to rest a generic distinction. At any rate the new species which I am about to describe appears to form a passage from the one genus to the other, and at the same time to differ from them both in its tarsal developement. But that I think it probable that the genus Microchetes may not be retained eventually, I might have formed another genus out of my new species.
I am however under no doubt about the generic distinctness of my second new species, Byzenia formicicola. Its facial developement, the visibility as well as the proportions of its strange antenna, and its curious elytra, all combine with its habits to point out a wide difference between it and the other members of the family. The remarkable forms of many of the coleoptera, which inhabit the nests of ants, have often attracted the attention of Entomologists ; our present species is no exception.
I insert, from the original descriptions, the diagnosis of the species of Microchetes which are already known.
Genus I. Microcumtes. Hope. In this genus the eyes, mandibles, and labrum are quite con- cealed when the head is retracted into the thorax. The antennz
fe ON THE BYRRHIDES OF AUSTRALIA,
are composed of one rather large basal joint, 2—8 gradually de- creasing, and the remaining joints forming a club. All the tarsi are contractile, and received into a groove in the femur: the body is covered with tufts of short truncate sete.
Sp.1. M. sphericus. Hope. Totum corpus supra nigrum, fusco-tomentosum, pedibus piceis. Long. 2 lin., lat. 14 lin. Swan River.
The clypeus is rounded and slightly punctured. The thorax is marked with four tubercles placed almost on the middle of the back. The elytra are bristling with tubercles disposed in a triple series—the body beneath is concolorous.
Sp. 2. MM. scoparius. LErichs. Niger, opacus, nigrosetosus, elytris fasciculatis. Long. prope 2 lin. Tasmania.
This species is described (Hrichs. arch. 1842, I., p. 153) as having the body black, opaque, covered above with very fine ashy sete. Antenne slender, piceous. Head densely rugulose punc- tate, the front sprinkled with short truncate black sete. The thorax is short, the posterior angles elongate acuminate with numerous truncate sete on the margin. Elytra substriate with numerous truncate sete, mostly arranged in tufts. Body under- neath and feet covered with short reclined sete.
The Australian Museum collection contains specimens of the genus from N. 8. Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania. I am inclined to refer the Tasmanian specimens to the latter of these descriptions, and the rest to the former ; yet not without some doubt. Hardly any two are alike on the back of the thorax, and therefore I cannot lay any stress upon the four dorsal tubercles mentioned by Hope. And although there is no doubt about the number of tufts or fascicules, composed of the characteristic short truncate setee, I do not recognize in any of these specimens the tubercles disposed in a “triple series.” Several of the Australian specimens are-piceous beneath the body, bat not all; others are as black as the Tasmanian specimens.
BY THE REV. R. L. KING, B.A. m9
In the specimens from Melbourne the tufts are more numerous and coarse. But I cannot detect any difference which requires that they should be regarded as a distinct species.
Among the Museum specimens collected by Mr. Masters at King George’s Sound, there is one which probably will form a new species, but it is in a bad state for description, and whether it was originally clothed with sete disposed in tufts, or (as in M. minor) in lines it is now impossible to discern. It is black and about one-half the size of those which I regard’as M. spheericus.
Sp. 3. MM. minor.
Niger, elytris striato-punctatis, squamis cinereis adpressis et setis erectis truncatis longitudinailter dispositis vestitis ; pedibus piceis tetrameris.
Long. .07. poll.
Paramatta, under stones in grass ; rare.
Sydney ; Mr. Masters.
The very small size and the want of tufts of truncate sete at once distinguish this from the former species. The truncate setze are placed in the punctures of the elytra, and are thus arranged in regular lines.
The antennee are 10-jointed; the first rather long; the succeed- ing joints gradually decrease in length to the 5th, which is the smallest of all; the remaining joints gradually increase in breadth, though not in length, to the tenth, which is as long as the three preceding. The tarsi are all tetramerous.
Genus II. Morycuus. Erichs.
The genus Morychus of Erichsen is readily distinguished by having the anterior tarsi only concealed in the groove of the tibia; the labrum, the mandibles, and part of the eyes are visible when the head is retracted into the thorax. The elytra cover the whole of the abdomen. The genus has a somewhat wide range, viz :—from Siberia on the north to southern Africa. The de- tection of the genus in Australia is due to my friend Mrs. Kreusler of South Australia, from whom I have received a specimen, to which I have given the name. of—
v4 ON THE BYRRHIDES OF AUSTRALIA,
Sp. 4. MM. heteromerus. Nigro-piceus, striatus, minute tuberculosus ; antennis et pedi- bus piceis ; tarsis heteromeris. Long. .21; lat. .16 poll. Gawler, South Australia. Mrs. Kreusler.
The nature of the tarsi is very remarkable, and thus, in Australia, we have in this one small family representatives of three of Latreille’s primary divisions of the coleoptera. Microchetes sphericus is pentamerous, M. minor is tetramerous, and our present species is heteromerous. Well might our late member, the learned author of the “Hore Hntomologice,” say, that “absolute rules of generic distinction, founded upon minute differences of structure, are not only faults in themselves, but calculated to blind us altogether to those beautiful groups which the Entomologist has so often occasion to remark in nature.”’*
Genus III. Byzenta.
Labrum et mandibula semper conspicua, et antennarum articulus primus.
Mandibulum acutum, ad medium obsolete unidentatum.
Mawille bilobatee.
Palpi labiales triarticulati mavillares 4-articulati, articulo ultimo precedente longiori.
Labrum transversum.
Antenne 9-articulate, articulis 1 et 9 magnis, reliquis parvis.
Hlytra brevia, totum abdomen non tegentia.
Pedes robusti.
Tarsorum articuli 1 et 5 longiores.
Corpus alatum.
Sp. 5. B. formicicola.
Piceus elytris gibbosis rivosis. Long. .11.; lat. .07 poll. Liverpool, in nests of ants.
This very remarkable and distinct form occurs in the nests
* Hore Entomologicz of W.S. MacLeay, p. 491.
fs)
BY THE REV. R. L. KING, B.A. iS
of a large species of ant of the genus Formica. The species is readily known by its black colour ornamented on the abdomen with yellowish or bronzed sete. The ant makes its nest in the ground under wood, rails, or logs, and the beetle is seen on the ground among the ants. Three or even four have been taken from a single nest at a time—a sultry afternoon in October— but I have never met with it elsewhere.
The head is so far retracted into the cavity of the thorax that the labrum and the mandibles and a part of the antenne are alone visible. Of these latter organs, the first joint always, and the tip of the last joint generally, are seen. The first and the last joints are of considerable size ; the first is lng and broad and curved at the base ; in repose it is brought down nearly to the mouth entirely concealing the eyes. The next three joints are small, the fourth being the smallest of all, 5—8 increase gradually, the ninth is nearly as long as the first, but almost cylindrical, rounded at the ends ; both the first and the ninth are far larger than all the rest together. The mandibles are strong, sharp at the apex, with an obsolete denticle near the middle ; the lower part is fringed with sete. The maxille are small and bilobed. The labrum is trans- verse and ogee-shaped. The thorax is very transverse. The elytra are short, leaving exposed the last two joints of the abdo-- men. They are marked by four strong ridges all rising towards one point, and nearly meeting behind the shoulder, the apparent perforation between the points being fringed with a few stiff yellowish sete. This peculiarity of formation gives the insect the appearance of being transversely divided nearly in the centre. The scutellum is small. The tarsi are all concealed in repose in grooves in the tibiee, but the legs which are robust are not received into cavities, as in Microchetes. All the legs are very widely separated.
It is not easy to trace the affinities of this remarkable form. There is no question that it belongs to the family of the Byrrhide, notwithstanding the shortness of the elytra leaving the abdomen partly uncovered, and the great distance of all the feet from each other—particulars in which it is distinguished, I think, from all the other members of the group. The nine jointed antenne are also peculiar to itself alone of all the Byrrhide.
Description of Hiketes, a new genus of Formicicolous Coleoptera,
By the Rev. R. L. Kine, B.A.
[Read 22nd November, 1869.
In my frequent inspection of ant’s nests in the neighbourhood of Liverpool, I have frequently met with an undescribed form in some particulars strikingly anomalous. As a contribution to an -account of our numerous Coleoptera inhabiting the nests of ants, I wish to describe it here. I have named the genus Hiketes, and offer the following as the diagnosis.
HIKETES. 20v. gen. e ‘ ( txeTns. a supplicant.)
Mandibulum truncatum parvum.
Mentum transversum, lobis lateralibus obtusis.
Submentum elongatum, postice hberum.
Palpi labiales 2-articulati.
Mawillares 3-articulati.
Mawillee ?
Oculi parvi.
Antenne ante oculos posite 9-articulate, 1™° reliquis longiori, 2—7 subsequalibus, 8 et 9 clavem formantibus.
Thorax subrotundus, lateribus serratis.
Elytra abdomen tegentia.
Abdomen 5-articulatum, segmento primo majore.
Pedes priores et intermedi contigui—posteriores distantes ; femoribus magnis.
Tarsi pentameri, articulis rotundis, 4° minori.
The genus, which I have thus described, presents several very remarkable peculiarities. The parts of the mouth are very small, almost rudimentary ; and are placed at the extremity of the head, protected by the emarginate clypeus. The antenn are short and stout, placed near the mouth, and far in advance of the eyes.
a
e
BY THE REV. R. L. KING, B.A. wr)
The eyes are protected by being sunk in a deep groove formed by prominent ridges on the sides of the head. Behind the mentum is an oblong plate, the posterior portion of which is quite free, the end emarginate. Ihave called it in the above description the swbmentum.
The nearest approach to it which I have met with is in Newman’s genus Derataphrus (or Sigerpes of Germar.) I have not however seen Newman’s description which has been founded on four New Holland species, (The Entomologist p. 403.) In Hiketes the submentum is placed longitudinally, not as in Dera- taphrus transversely. In the latter genus also the antenne are 11-jointed—the mandibles are very robust—the thorax much elongated, the body subcylindrical and the tarsi tetramerous— all points of contrast with our present species. There can how- ever be little doubt that the two genera are very closely allied ; and that notwithstanding its pentamerous character our genus must—for the present—take its place among the Colydiens of La Cordaire, and come next to Derataphrus among the sub-tribe Bothriderides.
Sp. 1. H. costatus.
Castaneus punctatus ; thorace 5-costato ; elytro 3-costato. Long. } poll. Liverpool, in ant’s nests.
The whole surface is covered with deep and wide punctures. The head is flat; the two ridges forming the groove in which the eye is placed meet in front of that organ, the under ridge being serrated. The thorax is slightly convex, marked by 5 prominent longitudinal coste, and has the sides rounded and serrated. Each elytron has three longitudinal coste. The scutellum is large and punctured. The submentum extends from the mentum to the eyes. It is nearly twice as long as broad, deeply punctate. The first segment of the abdomen is wider than the rest, and separates, by a triangular plate, the coxe of the posterior legs. The femurs of all the legs are very wide—nearly as broad as long. The tibiz of the male are produced into a sharp point beyond the insertion of the tarsi; in the female the termination of the tibize is obtuse.
78 DESCRIPTION OF HIKETES.
This interesting species is found in the nest of a small red ant (formica) living in wood and under bark of dead trees on the ground.
I have much pleasure in adding a second species detected by my friend Mr. Masters, at King George’s Sound.
Sp. 2. H. thoracicus.
Rufo-castaneus ; thorace utrinque dilatato, costis quatuor rotato.
Long. .14.
King George’s Sound—in ant’s nests. Mr. Masters.
The head is more produced than in the preceding species, and coarser at the sides. The eyes are placed in a deep notch, and are visible both above and below. The thorax is marked with four cost, and is remarkably developed at the sides so as to resemble the wings of a Ray. This very distinct species was found in the nest of a large black ant, under a stone at King George’s Sound, in December, 1869.
Notes on a collection of Insects from Gayndak, by
Witi1am MacLeay, Esq., F.L.S. [Read 8rd April, 1871.]
Mr. Masters, the assistant Curator of the Australian Museum, has lately returned from Gayndah, a town on the Burnett River, about 150 miles inland from Wide Bay, where he had been employ- ed for some montbs in endeavouring to procure for the Museum, specimens of the new description of Fish or Batrachian, lately described by Mr. Krefft under the name of Veratodus Forstert.
Mr. Masters has not only been so successful in the object of his mission as to get nineteen of these anomalous animals, but has also brought back with him a very large collection of specimens in all branches of Natural History. Among these the collection of Coleoptera stands pre-eminent, it contains over 1,100 species, and numbers nearly 16,000 specimens.
I propose to give as far as I am able in this paper, a complete list of this very magnificent collection, describing the new genera and species, and making occasional observations on the habitats &c. of the others.
I have always hitherto in describing new genera and species, adopted the system most usual with English Entomologists of giving these descriptions in Latin. On this occasion I intend to depart from that rule, as I believe that many of those who take an interest in Australian Entomology, will infinitely prefer the descriptions given in plain and intelligible English.
CICINDELIDA.
1.—Terracna crucigeRA, Mach, W. Trans. Ent. Soc. N. S. Wales, 1863, Vol. 1, page 10.
I described this species from specimens from Rockhampton and Port Denison. It is not as suggested by Count Castelnau (Not. Aust. Coleopt., page 3), identical with 7’. Australasie, Hope, which is from Port Hssington.
80 THE INSECTS OF GAYNDAH,
2.—CIcINDELA crRcumcINcTA, Casteln. Not. Aust. Col. 1867, page 4.
3.—DIsTYpsIDERA UNDULATA, Westw. Mag. Zool., Vol. 1, page 252.
4—DIstypsipERA MASTERSII. n. sp.
Length 5 lines, width 14 lines.
This species is of a bronzy olive hue above, with the middle of the labrum, the basal joints of the palpi, the under side of the thighs, the tibiee, the tarsi, an arcuated fascia extending from the shoulders to near the suture at one third from the base, a zigzag fascia about the middle enlarged at the sides and not reaching the suture, and the apex of the elytra, of a pale yellow. The antennz, excepting the basal joint, and the apex of the tibiae, and of each joint of the tarsi, are black. Between the eyes the head is marked with a number of fine longitudinal striole, on the back of the head the striole are transverse. The thorax is a little longer than, the breadth, and is marked with transverse striole ; the median line is distinct, and the transverse depressions near the apex and base are very deep. Between these depressions the sides of the thorax are slightly rounded. The scutellum is short, broad, depressed in the middle and pointed at the apex. The elytra are a little broader than the thorax, square at the shoulders, parallel-sided, and round at the apex. The sculpture consists of, fine wavy transverse striole on the middle, and punctures on the sides. The legs are thinly clothed with short white sete. The under surface is of an uni- form brilliant bluish black.
All the species of this genus very much resemble one another, and a mere description without comparison would scarcely suffice for the certain recognition of any one of them. In this case the strongest resemblance is to D. wndulata Westw., it differs in being very much smaller, in having the indentations on the sides of the labrum much deeper, in the flatter and less laterally rounded thorax, in the smoother and less deep sculpture of both thorax and elytra, in the shorter scutellum, in the absence of a smooth
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ,, F.LS. 81
protuberance on the shoulder and in the legs being clothed with shorter and more thinly distributed white hairs. To D. volitans, Macl., W.., there is a near approach in size and sculpture, but in this last species the colour is darker, the yellow bands are dif- ferently disposed, the labrum is distinctly nine-toothed whereas seven only are visible in D. Mastersii, the scutellum is much longer and the legs are much more densely clothed with hairs. In almost all the points of difference mentioned above, it differs still more from D. flavicans, Chaudoir. D. Gruti Pasc, from Lizard Island, the only other Australian species of the genus described, I have never seen.
CARABIDA. 5.—Pamporvs viripis, Gory. Mon. t. 161. f. 1.
6.—Pameorus Guerinu, Gory. Mag. Zool., 1830, t. 26,—Mon. t. 167. f. 2,—Boisd. Voy. Astrol. 2, page 27.
The insect before me is evidently the small and black variety of P. Guerinii, alluded to by Count Castelnau in his notes on Australian Coleoptera, as coming from the Pine Mountains, Queensland.
I believe it will be found to constitute a distinct species.
7.—PampBorus Brispanensis, Casteln. Not. Aust. Col. 1867, page 10.
8.—CASNONIA OBSCURA, Casteln. Not. Aust. Col. 1867, page 14.
9.—EUDALIA LATIPENNIS, Mach., W. Trans. Ent. Soc. N. S. Wales, Vol. 1, page 108. Casteln, Not. Aust. Col., page 16.
This insect was originally described by me as Odacantha latipennis. Count Castelnau has placed it, and properly, in a new genus, which he has named as above, but unfortunately without giving the generic characters.
82 THE INSECTS OF GAYNDAH,
10.—Drypta Avusrratis, Dej. Spec. Coleopt., Vol. 1, page 185. ;
11.—Drypta Mastersil. n. sp.
Length 4 lines.
This beautiful Drypta is very distinct from D. Australis, the only Australian species hitherto known. The palpi are more pointed, the thorax has the median line much less distinct, the elytra have the laternal margins, apex, and sutural fascia, of a more brilliant blue, and are altogether more convex and strongly punctured. The sutural facia, which is very broad and at the base extends to the shoulders, terminates at one third from the apex, where it is nearly met by a narrow extension upwards on each elytron of the blue apical margin. There is a dense ashen pubescence over the entire surface of the body.
12.—Potysticuus AUSTRALIS. n. sp.
Length 4 lines.
Of a rather dull brown covered with a dense short yellow pubescence, with the antenne, palpi, and legs reddish yellow. Head smooth and thinly punctured. Thorax alittle longer than the breadth, and slightly narrowed behind, with the posterior angles rather sharp and with a broad recurved lateral margin, on which are two setigerous punctures, one above the middle and at the broadest part of the thorax, the other at the posterior angle. Scutellum long, triangular, and densely punctured on the basal portion. Hlytra closely covered with narrow striz, with the interstices elevated, every third interstice being distinctly larger ; of these striz there are about thirty on each elytron, the lateral one only is broad and marked with large and rather distant punctures.
I believe this to be the first of this genus described as Austra- lian. I have two specimens of it in my own collection trom Rock- hampton.
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ, F.LS. 83
13.—GiGADEMA POLITULUM. n. sp.
Length 12 lines.
Black. Head and thorax nitid and thinly punctured, the former elongated and narrowed behind the eyes, the latter, with the anterior angles much rounded and advanced, the apex truncated, and median line well marked. LHlytra closely covered with small punctures, and striated, with the interstices elevated.
This species though smaller, most resembles G. longipenne Germ., it however differs from it in many respects, more especially in the long neck and in the rounder and more prominent anterior angles of the thorax. The apex of the thorax also is in this species quite straight, while in the other it is a little concave.
14.—GicapEMA suLcaTuM, MaclL. W.
Helluo sulcatus, Mach., W. Trans. Ent. Soc. N. 8. Wales, 1, 1864, page 108.
Gigadema Thomsoni, Casteln. Not. Aust. Col. 1867, page 21.
15.—HexLiuosomA MastTersil. on. sp.
Length 6 lines.
Entirely of a reddish brown colour. Head very much con- stricted behind forming asmall neck. Thorax elongated, truncate in front, much narrowed behind, covered with coarse punctures and longitudinal depressions bounded by rough irregular ridges, with the median line extremely fine and in the middle of the largest of these depressions. Elytra striated and closely punc- tured. Legs and under side of body, abdomen excepted, of a lighter colour than the back.
Drs. Gemminger and Harold have in their ‘ Catalogue Coleopterorum,” merged the genera Gigadema, Thoms. and Heliwosoma, Casteln., in the genus A’nigma, Newm. I have, how- ever, preserved them distinct here, as I believe them to be all good genera.
Bd THE INSECTS OF GAYNDAH,
16.—AcrogEenys HIRSUTA, Mach., W. Trans. Ent. Soc. N. 8S. Wales, Vol. 1, page 109.
17.—PHEROPSOPHUS VERTICALIS, Dej. Spec. 1, page 302.
18.—CaLLEIDA PALLIDICOLLIS, Mach., W. Trigonothops pallidicollis, Mach., W. Trans. Ent. Soc. N. 8. Wales, Vol. 1, page 110.
This may possibly be a new species, the head looks more smooth, and the thorax narrower than in the specimens I originally got from Port Denison. Mr. Masters only captured one specimen.
19.—XANTHOPHEA CHAUDOIRI. n. sp.
Length 4 lines.
Pale red with the elytra still paler. The thorax is rather elon- gate, very little broader in front than behind, and about the middle, where it is a little widened, there is a setigerous puncture. The median line is deeply marked. The elytra are striated, with the striz of a dark hue, and closely punctured.
I have placed this species under the genus Xanthophea, because it answers to the description of that genus, but the thorax in X. grandis Chaud. is more cordiform, and that insect has altogether a more elongate look. I have named the species after the founder of the genus, the Baron de Chandoir.
20.—CYMINDIS CRASSICEPS. nN. sp.
Length 4 lines.
Of a deep black, with the exception of the antenne, palpi, tibiz, and tarsi. Head broad, large, convex, and entirely and closely covered with longitudinal striole. Thorax very little narrowed behind, median line well marked, lateral margin furnished with two setigerous punctures,—one about one-third of the length of the thorax from the anterior angles, the other at the posterior angles,—and upper surface marked with small punctures, and
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ, F.L.S. 85
fine transverse striole. The elytra show a slight bronzy tint, with the strize deep and finely: punctured and with the interstices elevated and smooth.
PHL@OCARABUS. n. gen.
Head small, obtuse in front, narrowed suddenly behind the eyes into a distinct neck. Mentum with a large obtuse median tooth. Labium rather long, rounded at the apex. Labial palpi, moderately securiform ; maxillary, cylindrical. Mandibles short, broad at the base, acute and slightly arcuated at the tip. Labrum almost square. Antenne of medium length, filiform, the first Joint largest, the second very small. Thorax rather broader than the length, lobed behind. Legs of medium size, fourth article of the tarsi, small and entire.
In many respects the single species of which this genus is formed resembles Cymindis, while in others it seems to approach Lebia. I prefer to associate it with the first named genus.
21.—PHL@ocaRABuS MASTERSII. nn. sp.
Length 3 lines.
Head and thorax of a dark red, the first almost smooth, the latter with fine transverse striole, and well marked median line. The elytra are black, with a large spot at the base on each side of the suture, and a narrow lateral margin of a dull red. The legs and under portion of the body are of a lighter colour.
PHL@ODROMIUS. nN. gen.
Head almost square, very obtuse in front, not narrower behind the eyes. Mentum without median tooth, the lateral lobes large and rounded, forming internally a right angle with the body of the mentum. Palpi short and slightly truncated. Labium oblong, truncated and covered with hairs. Labrum broader than Jong, widening gradually towards the apex, which is truncate. Mandibles strong, short, thick and slightly arcuated at the extremities. Antenne short, first joint large, second small
86 THE INSECTS OF GAYNDAH,
and thin, third also thin but larger than second, fourth short obconic, fifth, sixth, seventh and eight joints much thicker and somewhat square or moniliform, the remaining joints filiform. Thorax broader than the length, truncate in front and at the base, rounded at the anterior angles where it is rather narrower than at the posterior, the latter slightly obtuse. Elytra much broader than the thorax. Legs robust, fourth joint of the tarsi strongly bilobed.
22.—PHLEODROMIUS PICEUS. un. sp.
Length 44 lines.
Pitchy red, of a lighter hue on the head, sides and centre of thorax, legs and underside of body. The head and thorax are almost smooth or very remotely and finely punctured, the latter is broadly margined, more especially towards the posterior angles which are recurved. The median line is pretty well marked, and on each lateral margin there are two setigerous punctures, one at the widest part of the thorax which is almost the centre, the other very near the posterior angles. The elytra are striated, the strive are closely and finely punctured, and the interstices are broad and rather flat.
I am somewhat puzzled as to the position of this insect, it is so unlike any of the Lebiide hitherto described, but that its effinity is to that Family, and as I think to no other is nearly certam. Mr. Masters brought one specimen only from Gayn- dah, but I find that I had previously received a few specimens from other portions of Queensland.
KULEBIA. n. gen.
Head oval, scarcely narrower behind than in front of the eyes. Mentum with an apparently small median tooth, Palpi cylindri- cal and rather blunted at the apex. Mandibles strong, short, slightly arcuated at the tip. Labum square, truncated at the apex. Labium almost corneous, slightly rounded in front, Antenne rather short, nearly filiform, the joints from the fourth to the ninth rather thicker. Thorax much broader than the length, not
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ, F.LS. 87
narrower behind, the apex truncate, the base extended in the middle into a lobe. Elytra broader than the thorax. Legs rather long, the fourth joint of the tarsi strongly bilobed.
93.—HULEBIA PLAGIATA. n. sp.
Length 3 lines.
Reddish testaceous with a large patch on the elytra extend- ing from the base on each side of the suture, to a short distance from the apex, and the terminal segments of the abdomen of a bluish black. The head is smooth. The thorax is very finely and transversely striolate, with the median line well marked, and two setigerous punctures on each lateral margin, one a little behind the anterior angle, the other very closely above the posterior angle. The elytra are striated, with the interstices wide and slightly raised.
24.—HULEBIA PICIPENNIS. n. sp. Length 2} lines.
Entirely of a pitchy red colour, rather darker on the elytra. Head and thorax as in the last species. Elytra more deeply striated, with the interstices more elevated, and with a depression on the third interstice, a little above the middle.
25.—SAROTHROCREPIS MASTERSII. un. sp.
Length 3 lines.
This species though much smaller, looks very like Lebia posticalis Guer. It is however of rather a paler hue, and the black fascia on the elytra is larger.
26.—SaROTHROCREPIS PALLIDA. 0. Sp.
Length 23 lines.
Smaller than the last, and of a still paler yellow. There is a large black patch about the middle of the elytra, from which there is a narrow extension behind to the lateral margins. There is also a very narrow black vitta along the suture. The labrum is not so extended as in the last species.
88 THE INSECTS OF GAYNDAH,
27.—SAROTHROCREPIS FASCIATA. 1. Sp.
Length 2 lines.
Like the last but much smaller, and with a’ broad black fascia on the hinder part of the elytra which is prolonged along the suture towards the apex.
28.—SaROTHROCREPIS MINIMA, Mach., W. Trans. Ent. Soc. N. S. Wales, 1864, page III.
This insect ought to form a new genus. I have uot been able to spare a specimen for dissection, but I am convinced I was wrong in putting it with Sarothrocrepis.
29.—DRoOMIUS HUMERALIS. 2. sp.
Length 1 lines.
Glossy, black, with the antennz, palpi, legs, a large irregular spot on each shoulder covering nearly the whole of the base of the elytra, and a round spot on the suture near the apex, of a dark red. ‘lhe head and thorax are smooth, the elytra are very lightly striated, and very minutely punctured.
There is only one specimen of this insect in the collection ; I have been unable therefore to make a very minute examination of it, but I have little doubt that it belongs to this genus.
30.—HOMETHES VELUTINUS. n. sp.
Length 3% lines.
Of a deep velvety black, with the apical half of the antennss and the legs pale yellow. The thorax has its broadest part near the middle where there is a setigerous puncture, the median line is indistinct. The elytra are lightly striated, and have a series of depressed points along the third interstice and near the sides ; these depressions present a slightly yellow appearance.
The shape of the thorax at once distinguishes this species from H. elegans, Newm., it is in this insect shorter and more regularly rounded, bringing the broadest part close to the middle,
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ, F.L.S. - 89
while in H. elegans the broadest part is near the apex, the sides of the thorax are notrounded from that to the base.
31—HOoMETHES MARGINIPENNIS. ni. sp.
Length 3; lines.
Black, opaque, with the antennez, legs and lateral margin of the elytra pale yellow. The head is smooth. The thorax is shagreened, with the broadest part in the middle of its length, where it is on each side angulated and furnished with a setigerous puncture. The elytra are lightly striated, the strie have an interrupted appearance, along the yellow margin there is a series of irregular depressions.
H. guttifer Germ. is not unlike this species, but the smooth elytra present a great contrast.
32.—PHILOPHL@US UNICOLOR, Chaud. Ann. Soc. Ent. Belg. tome 12, page 220.
33.—PHILOPHLEUS MACULATUS. Nn. Sp. Length 4 lines.
Head and thorax of a pitchy red, the elytra brown with a small elongated yellow spot in the centre of their basal half, and a small round spot at the apex. The sides of the thorax are angulated in the middle, where there is one setigerous puncture, there is another at the posterior angle. The elytra are very finely punctured, sulcated very shallowly and covered with fine short yellow pubescence.
34,—PHILOPHLEUS BRUNNIPENNIS. Ni. Sp. Length 3; lines.
Red, with the elytra brown. Labrum with a well marked longitudinal stria. Thorax broad, broadly margined and punc- tured. Elytra broad, short, very finely punctured and lightly striated. Under side of body and legs reddish yellow, with the
exception of the terminal segments of the abdomen which are black.
90 THE INSECTS OF GAYNDAH,
35.—PHILOPHLEUS DUBIUS. n. sp.
Length 2% lines.
The head is black and smooth, with the antennae and palpi red, the labrum with a well defined median line towards the apex, and the penultimate joint ofthe maxillary palpi shorter than the terminal one. The thorax is like that of the last species, except that the setiform puncture marking the broadest part, is in this case nearer the apex than the base. The elytra are striated with a row of fine punctures in the striz; the interstices are flat and smooth; the sides are very narrowly margined with red, and there is on each elytron near the apex, a narrow, very zigzag fascia of the same colour extending from the suture to the seventh stria.
This perhaps ought properly to be considered an Agonocheila, or it may form a new genus. It resembles the last described
species in having the labrum with a distinct median line. With -
this exception which I have not observed generally in the genus Philophleus, the Jabrum is long and rounded as in that genus, while the palpi are entirely of the character of Baron de Chaudoir’s genus, Agonocheila.
36.—PHILOPHLEUS VITTATUS. Nn. sp.
Length 24 lines.
Head, thorax, and legs reddish, the elytra brown, with a yellow vitta on each extending from the base to the apex, but very much narrowed behind the middle. The labrum which is not quite so long as in the typical species of the genus, is deeply impressed in the middle, the last joint of the tarsi is longer than the preceding one, the head is smooth, the thorax sparingly punctured, the elytra very finely punctured, lightly striated as in the genus generally, with two setigerous points on the third interstice. There is a very narrow yellow margin to the elytra.
According to the definition of the Baron de Chaudoir, this ought certainly to be classed with Agonochetla. It resembles, however, in so many ways the genus Philophleus, that, 1 prefer to place it with the latter.
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ, F.L.S. 91
37.—AGONOCHEILA SUTURALIS. n. sp.
Length 2 lines.
Reddish yellow with the fore part of the head, a sutural fascia on the elytra extending from the base to near the apex, and a lateral fascia on the same considerably enlarged near the apex. black. The thorax is very broad and sparingly punctured. The elytra also are broad, very closely and finely punctured, very lightly furrowed, and covered with a very fine short yellow pile.
EUCALYPTOCOLA. n. gen.
Head not narrowed behind the eyes. Mentum with a large acute medium tooth. Labium, somewhat long ard rounded at the apex. Palpi, sub-cylindrical, obtuse. Mandibles, slight, long, acute, and only arcuated at the very tip. Labrum, very long, rounded, and slightly narrowed at the apex. Antennz of medium length, thicker from the fifth joint. Thorax broader than the length, not narrower behind than in front, slightly rounded at the sides. Elytra broader than the thorax, rounded laterally and sinuate-truncate behind ; Legs strong, tarsi filiform, fourth joint small, entire.
38.—HucatyprocoLa MAsTERsII. n sp.
Pitchy black with the antenne, palpi, legs, margins of thorax and elytra, and two broad and very irregular fasciz on the latter : consisting of elongated spots on the interstices between the strie, one above the middle, the other at the apex; yellow. The head and thorax are nearly smooth. The elytra are sharply striated, with the interstices broad, smooth, and rather elevated.
There is an evident resemblance to the genus Thyreopterus in this insect, but the true affinity is no doubt to Philophleus.
I have seen specimens of the genus if not the species from the Clarence River District.
39.—ScopopES HNEUS. Na. sp. Length 2? lines. Above brassy black, beneath bluish black, with the base of the
92 THE INSECTS OF GAYNDAH,
antenne, the palpi, and the tibiz, yellow. The head is closely covered with longitudinal striole. The thorax has the same sculpture, but with the striole in all directions, giving it a very rugose appearance, its surface is flat, and not canaliculated, with the apex and base truncated sharply, and with the sides, angled and furnished with a long seta at its widest part which is above the middle. The elytra are opaque, with a slight silvery reflection in patches, they have several irregular depressions on their surface, and are covered with rows of small rather distant punctures, each occupied by a silvery white scale.
40.—ScopoDES LAEVIS. n. sp.
Length 2 lines.
Glossy black, eyes very large, thorax smooth, canaliculate, widened in the middle where it forms an angle and is furnished with a long seta, and much narrowed at the base with the posterior angles rounded. The elytra are finely striated with distinct punctures in the striz, the interstices are flat and broad.
41.—ScoPpoDES ANGULICOLLIS. n. sp.
Length 2 lines.
The sculpture of the head and thorax is the same in this ‘species as in 8. eneus. But the thorax is broad, rounded at the anterior angles, and very slightly narrowed at the posterior angles, which are sharp and recurved, while on each side there are two setigerous punctures, one at the widest point a little below the anterior angles, the other at the posterior angles. The elytra are lightly striated, the striz are rather irregular and crooked, the interstices are broad and rounded.
The thorax of this species is quite like that of a Lebia in form.
42.—ScoPpoDES AURATUS. n. sp.
Length 2 lines. Of a bronzy hue, with patches of golden yellow, especially on the elytra, and with the antenne, palpi and legs reddish. The head and thorax are smooth but not glossy, the latter is canaliculate,
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ, F.LS. 93
and is shaped much like that of the last described species (S. angulicollis), with: the exception of the anterior angles which are square and sharp. The elytra are profoundly striated, and there are several irregular depressions over their surface.
43.—ScoPODES SERICEUS. Nn. Sp.
Length 1{ lines.
Brassy black with a silken gloss on the elytra, legs and antennae brown. ‘The thorax has a shagreen appearance, is finely canaliculated, is largely rounded at the apex and base, and has both anterior and posterior angles very sharp and prominent. Each angle is furnished with a long seta. The elytra are opaque and striated, the interstices are somewhat rounded. ‘There are three shallow impressions along the third interstice.
44,,—SILPHOMORPHA SPECIOSA, Pase. Journ. Ent. Vol. 2, page 26.
4.5,—SILPHOMORPHA VICINA, Casteln. Not. Aust. Col. 1867, page 28.
I am not quite sure of the identity of this insect with the one described by Count Castelnau.
46.—SILPHOMORPHA POLITA. n. sp.
Length 5 lines.
Of a short oval form, with the upper surface of a glossy black, without puncturation or marking, and with only faint traces of striz on the elytra. The under surface is of a pitchy red.
I cannot find anything that answers to this insect among the species of this genus described by Count Castelnau, but there are so many of them almost exactly alike, that I am not at all con- fident as to its being undescribed.
4'7.—SILPHOMORPHA BIPLAGIATA, Casteln. Not. Aust. Col. 1867, page 26.
GA THE INSECTS OF GAYNDAH,
43.—SriLpHomorPHa picTa, Casteln. Not. Aust. Col. 1867, page 25.
49.—SILPHOMORPHA BICOLOR, Casteln. Not. Aust. Col. 1867, page 25.
500.—SILPHOMORPHA HYDROPOROIDES, Westw. Mon. 4 page 401, t. 14. f. 3. |
51.—SILPHOMORPHA QUADRIMACULATA, Mach, W. Trans. Ent. Soc. N.S. Wales, Vol. 1, page 113.
52.—SILPHOMORPHA RUFO-MARGINATA. 0. Sp. Length 3} lines. Of a glossy black with the margins of thorax and elytra, and a rather broad sutural vitta on the latter, dull red. There are two rather deep impressions near the base of the thorax, and a few shallower irregular ones near the base of the elytra. This species most resembles S. sutwralis Germ., it is however very much smaller and more convex.
53.—SILPHOMORPHA MACULIGERA, MachL., W. Trans. Ent. Soc. N. 8. Wales, Vol. 1, page 113.
54.—ApELoTOPUS MASTERSII. n. sp. Length 5 lines.
Entirely of a rather glossy black. The elytra which are of the same width as the thorax at the base are lightly striated, and have a ridge on the suture near the apex.
This species much resembles A. gyrinoides. Hope. It is a large broad convex insect entirely without puncturation.
55.—ADELOLOPUS BIMACULATUS, Machl., W. Trans. Ent. Soc. N. S. Wales, Vol. 1, page 113. 56.—ADELOTOPUS SUB-OPACUS. 0. Sp. Length 2# lines. Dark brown with the middle of the elytra of a dull red. The
BY W. MACLEAY, ES@., F.L.S. 95
head is vertical and closely punctured. The thorax is also closely punctured, with a faint median line; it is broad and rounded at the anterior angles, where the reflexed margin is very wide, and there are two large depressions at the base nearer the posterior angle than the centre. The elytra are somewhat narrower than the thorax at its widest part, and are marked with nearly obsolete ridges and coarse punctures.
This species evidently belongs to the same group as 4. Ipsvides, Westw.
57.—ADELOTOPUS CASTANEUS, Casteln. Not. Aust. Col. 1867, page 33.
58.—ADELOTOPUS ANALIS. n. Sp.
Length 1 lines.
Glossy black, with the apex of the elytra red. The whole upper surface is covered with fine punctures and short erect light coloured hairs. The thorax is rounded at the posterior angles, with the margin wide, but not much reflexed.
59.—ADELOTOPUS MACULIPENNIS. Nn. sp. Length 1 lines. Very nitid, black, with a tinge of dark red on the thorax, and
a large spot in the centre of the elytra of the same hue. The thorax is very narrowly margined and nearly cylindrical.
60.—Apotomus MASTERS. n. sp. Length 13 lines.
In colouring, this species exactly resembles A. Australis, it differs from it in having the thorax more globular, the median line scarcely marked, and the posterior lobe much shorter. The elytra are striated, with the strie full of large punctures.
61.—MorI0 LONGICOLLIS. n. sp. Length 64 lines.
Black, subnitid, the head smooth in front and deeply im- G
96 THE INSECTS OF GAYNDAH,
pressed on each side, with the clypeus rough and deeply marked. The thorax is longer than the breadth, is slightly narrowed at the posterior angles which are acute, and has the median line, and the posterior, and transverse impressions well marked. The elytra are deeply striated, with the interstices convex.
This insect differs from M. Australis in the deeper grooves on each side of the head, in the marks on the clypeus, and in the comparatively greater length of the thorax.
62.—MoRI0 SETICOLLIS. n. sp. Length 4 lines.
This species is of a more elongate form than the last. The clypeus seems quite smooth, and the head is less deeply grooved than in M. longicollis.
63.—SETALIS NIGER, Casteln. Not. Aust. Col. 1867, page 40.
64.—VERADIA BRISBANENSIS, Casteln. Not. Aust. Col. 1867, page 40.
PHILOSCAPHUS. n. gen.
Body without wings. Head large and bisulcate. Palpi en- larged towards the apex and truncate. Mentum with acute median tooth. Antenne slight, filiform, and pointed at the tip. Thorax transverse. LHlytra ovate, with a strong costiform mar- gin, and one or two large grooves on the sides beneath. Anterior tibie tridentated externally.
In addition to the species which I name below from Gayndah, this genus will comprise Carenwm tuberculatum and carinatum named by me, and two others undescribed in the collection of the Australian Museum, one from South Australia, the other from Nicol Bay.
65.—PHILOSCAPHUS MASTERSII. n. sp. Length 135 lines.
The general resemblance of this species to P. tuberculatum is
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ., F.L.S. 97
very great, it can be, however, easily distinguished by the thorax being marked with deeper transverse rugee, and with a deeper emargination in the centre of the posterior lobe. The elytra also are much rougher and more largely tuberculate, with an inter- rupted tuberculate costa extending from the inner side of each humeral angle to beyond the middle of each elytron. The two other species alluded to as being undescribed differ in having an additional lateral costa, forming two deep lateral grooves, instead of one as in this species and in ftuberculatum. P. carinatum is different in so many respects that comparison with it is un- necessary.
66.—CARENUM SALEBROSUM. 0. sp. Length 83 lines.
In general appearance not unlike C. loculosum, Newm., but differing very much in the sculpture of the elytra. Hach elytron is marked with three irregular and crooked ridges, one near the suture, another more elevated near the centre, and the third between that and the lateral margin, the most irregular of all and scarcely traceable beyond the middle. Between the suture and the first of these ridges, the space is closely filled by deep trans- verse impressions, and between that and the second ridge there is a series of large deep and square fovew, all the rest of the elytra are covered with large deep fovez of the most irregular form.
67.—CARENUM OCCULTUM. n. sp.
Length 11 lines.
This species very much resembles C. interruptum, it is, how- ever, of a more elongate form, and has a narrow border of a pale blue colour, very different from the brilliant purple of the other.
68.—CARENUM VIRIDI-MARGINATUM. na. sp.
Length 9 lunes.
The resemblance of this insect to C. marginatum is very great ; the elytra are, however, proportionately shorter and more ovate,
98 THE INSECTS OF GAYNDAH,
and the basal lobe or prolongation of the thorax is distinetly angular at the sides and emarginate in the middle.
69.—CaRENUM POLITULUM. nN. sp. Length 74 lines.
This species is also like C. marginatwm, but the elytra are without trace of strisz, and are of a more elongate character. The basal lobe of the thorax is emarginate in the middle, but not angular at the sides as in the last described species. The whole insect is of a glossy black tinged with blue on the elytra, and with a green margin to both thorax and elytra.
70.—Carenum TRISTE, Mach., W. Trans. Ent. Soc. N. 8S. Wales, Vol. 2, page 63.
71.—CaRENUM OVIPENNE. 0. sp.
Length 6 lines.
This belongs to the 0. Bonellii group. It is entirely black without vestige of striz on the elytra or any marginal colouring. The anterior puncture on the elytra is further from the shoulder than in C. Bonellit, and the body is ofa more perfectly oval form.
72.—CARENUM SUBMETALLICUM. Nn. sp.
Length 7 lines.
This also belongs to the O. Bonellit group, and scarcely differs in form from that insect. The thorax is margined with pale green. The elytra are of a dull greenish bronze hue with pale green margin, and are covered with indistinct and interrupted strie.
73.—CARENUM DEAURATUM, Mach., W. Trans. Ent. Soc. N. 8S. Wales, Vol. 1, page 140. 74.—CaRENUM ANGUSTIPENNE. 0. sp.
Length 8 lines.
Black, subnitid, with a narrow pale green margin to the
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ,, F.L.S. 99
elytra, which are narrower than the thorax and narrowest at the base. In form this insect resembles C. quadripwnctatum mihi, and it belongs to the same group. The antenne are more slender and filiform than in the typical Carenums.
75.—EHUTOMA BIPUNCTATUM, Macl.., W. Carenum bi- punctatun, Mach., W., Trans. Ent. Soc. N. 8. Wales, Vol. 1, page 60.
76.—Scarites Cacus, Mach., W. Trans. Ent. Soc. N. S. Wales, Vol. 1., page 67.
77.—EHUDEMA ALTERNANS, Casteln. Not. Aust. Col. 1867, page 60.
78.—Kupema AvustRraLE, Dej. Spec. Ool., Vol. 5, page 601.
79.—Evupema AzurEuM, Casteln. Not. Aust. Ool. 1867, page 61.
80.—CuLanivs Australis, Dej. Spec. Ool., Vol. 5, page 650.
81.—CHLANIUS MACULIGER, Casteln. Not. Aust. Col. 1867, page 62.
82.—CHLANIUS PEREGRINUS, Laferté. Ann. Fr. 1851, page 247. Chaud. Bull. Mosc, 1856, 3, page 264.
83.—CHLA=NIUS MARGINATUS, Dej. Spec. Col., Vol. 2, page 305.
84.—OopgEs AusTRALIS, Dej. Spec. Col., Vol. 5, page 671.
85.—PROMECODERUS VIRIDIS. 2. sp.
Length 7 lines. The thorax and elytra of this beautiful species are of a blackish
100 THE INSECTS OF GAYNDAH,
green and very nitid. The head and under surface are of a glossy black, the antenne, the parts of the mouth and the legs are of a pitchy brown. There are a few impressions on the posterior part of the lateral margins of the elytra.
86.—Meonts ater, Casteln. Not. Aust. Cal. 1867, page 70.
87.—MEONIS OVICOLLIS. n. sp.
Length 33 lines.
This insect differs from M. ater, and niger, the two species on which Count Castelnau founded the genus, in being much smaller, in having the mandibles less exserted, and in having the thorax globular and rounded, and in no way cordiform or pro- longed at the base. It is of a glossy black with the elytra strongly striated in the middle.
88.—LetropirA Latreitui, Casteln. Not. Aust. Col. 1867, page 72.
89.—PHORTICOSOMUS RUGICEPS. n. sp.
Length 5 lines.
Dark brown with the antenne and legs of a pitchy red. The head is broad, and much corrugated and wrinkled, the thorax is uneven on the surface, and the elytra are striated with the inter- stices convex. In all these points it differs from P. Felix the type of the genus, which has the head and thorax smooth, and the spaces between the strize of the elytra rather flat.
90.—LECANOMERUS RUFICEPS. 2. sp.
Length 3 lines.
Head red, smooth, and deeply impressed on each side, near the eyes and rather in front of them. Thorax black—with the margin and base slightly reddish,—scarcely broader than the length, rounded at the sides anteriorly, not much narrowed
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ,, F.LS. 101
behind, truncate and punctured at the base, deeply impressed near the posterior angles and canaliculate in the middle. Elytra broader than the thorax, moderately convex, strongly striated with the interstices convex; and black, with a broad dull yellow lateral and apical margin. The legs are of a pale yellow.
91.—LECANOMERUS ABERRANS. 2. Sp. Length 2 lines.
Black, with the legs yellow, the antenne and the parts of the mouth red, and with a tinge of the same colour on the margin of the thorax and elytra. Head smooth and lightly impressed on each side in front of the eyes. Thorax rather broader than the length, scarcely narrowed behind, slightly rounded before the middle, truncate at the base, very broadly but not deeply impressed near the posterior angles, and slightly canaliculate in the middle. Elytra strongly striated, the interstices but slightly convex. The anterior tarsi in the male of this species are peculiar, the first joint is very short and not apparently dilated at all, the second is very much dilated, the third is shorter, but quite as much laterally dilated as the second, while the fourth is as small as the first.
92.—HARPALUS INTERSTITIALIS, MachL., W. Trans. Ent. Soc. N. S. Wales, Vol. 1, page 117.
93.—HaRPALUS INFELIX, Casteln. Not. Aust. Col. 1867, page 106.
94..—HARPALUS PLANIPENNIS. Nn. Sp. Length 34 lines.
Head smooth, black, nitid, with a small oval depression on each side near the eyes. Thorax glossy, broader than the length, emarginate in front, truncate behind, slightly rounded on the sides anteriorly, not narrowed behind, canaliculate in the middle, and with a broad and shallow rugose impression at the base between the median line and the posterior angles ; these last are rounded. Elytrabronzy, dull, and lightly striated, the interstices flat and broad, with six light punctures at irregular intervals on
102 THE INSECTS OF GAYNDAH,
the third interstice, and a series of deeper ones on the lateral interstices. Antenne, palpi, and legs, with the exception of the upper part of the thighs, of a reddish hue.
95.—Harpatus GAYNDAHENSIS. n. Sp. Length 33 lines.
Head and thorax as in the last species. Elytra nitid, with a slight purplish tinge ; the strie rather deeper than in planipennis, with the interstices equally flat, and with seven or eight well marked punctures on the third interstice extending from the base to the apex. The thighs are black, the rest of the legs, the antennz and palpi are reddish.
96.—HARPALUS ANGUSTATUS. 2. Sp. Length 3% lines. ;
Head and thorax as in the two last species, the latter with the surface less smooth and the posterior impressions less marked. Elytra scarcely broader than the thorax and of a nitid black, with a very slight greenish tinge; the strize are well marked as in the last species, and the interstices are flat, with from six to eight well marked punctures on the third, placed at irregular intervals
from the base to the apex. Thighs black, the rest of the legs, antennee and palpi are reddish.
97.—HARPALUS CONVEXIUSCULUS. n. sp. Length 3 lines.
Glossy black with the legs and palpi red. Head and thorax smooth and convex, the latter with the posterior impressions deep, short, and narrow, and with the lateral margins red and furnished with several setigerous punctures. Hlytra convex, very little broader than the thorax, lightly striated, with abbreviated strice near the suture, and having the interstices broad and uearly quite flat.
98.—HaRPALUS HNEO-NITENS. on. sp. Length 3 lines. Brassy black with a tinge of purple on the elytra. Head
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ., F.L.S. 103
smooth. Thorax rather flat, rounded at the sides, truncate behind, and rugose on the back, especially near the base, with the median line slight and not reaching to the base, and the posterior im- pressions broad and rather deep. Elytra flat and distinctly but not deeply striated, with the interstices broad and flat, and with five or six punctures on the third interstice, and one on the fifth near the apex. The abbreviated sutural strie are longer than in H. Gayndahensis, the species to which it most approximates. The legs and the parts of the mouth are light red.
99.—HARPALUS ATRO-VIRIDIS. nN. sp. Length 2# lines.
More convex than the species last described, but not so much so as H. convexiusculus; of a nitid greenish black colour, with yellow legs and palpi. Head broad and smooth. Thorax with a very narrow reddish margin, the median line only marked in the middle, the posterior impressions deeply marked but small, and the sides moderately rounded. The elytra are deeply but narrowly striated, with the interstices broad and flat. There is a small puncture on the third interstice near the apex, and the abbreviated sutural striz are short, and seem to take their rise from the extremity of the second striz. The legs are more than usually armed with short spiniform hairs.
100.—STENOLOPHUS POLITUS. 2. sp. Length 23 lines.
Black and nitid. Head rugosely impressed on each side before the eyes. Thorax nearly square, slightly rounded at the sides which have a narrow red margin, and broadly impressed and slightly rugose near the base on each side of the median line which is very lightly marked. Elytra lightly striated,—the interstices flat and broad,—with an obscure spot on the shoulder, a narrow lateral margin enlarged towards the apex, and a narrow edging on the apical half of the suture, of a yellowish red. The legs are of a light red with the apices of the thighs, tibie, and tarsi, dark brown. The antenne and palpi are of a brownish red.
104 THE INSECTS OF GAYNDAH,
101.—AcupaLpus MAsTERsII. n. sp.
Length 2 lines.
Black, nitid, rather convex. Head with a short curved im- pressed line on each side from the eye to the transverse line of the clypeus. Thorax broader than the length, and rounded on the sides and at the posterior angles. The basal impressions are scarcely traceable, and the median line is but lightly marked. The elytra are strongly striated and have the interstices slightly convex. The legs, antenns, and palpi are of a reddish yellow.
102.—ACUPALPUS ANGULATUS. u. Sp.
Length 2 lines.
Black, nitid, and moderately convex. Head as in the last species. Thorax narrower, longer than the breadth, rounded at the sides anteriorly, and slightly narrowed behind, with the posterior angles almost square and broadly margined, and the median line and basal impressions well marked. Elytra con- siderably broader than the thorax, with the striz not quite so deep, and the interstices rather more flat than in the last species. The legs and antenne are of a pale red.
CycLOTHORAX. n. gen.
Mentum deeply emarginate with a large median tooth. La- bium rather long, obtuse at the apex. Palpi short, somewhat filiform, the tip of the maxillary rather obtuse. Labrum square, entire. Mandibles short, strong, and slightly arcuated with a small tooth in the centre of the right mandible. Antenne of moderate length; Ist jot long and thicker than the others ; 2nd small; 3rd and 6th longer than the others; the remainder equal. Thorax convex, transversal and rounded at the sides and base. Elytra broader than the thorax, slightly convex, and short. Legs moderately strong, the anterior tarsi slightly dilated in the male, the intermediate still less so; the two first joints of all the tarsi longest.
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ,, F.L.S. 105
T am not at all sure of the position of this genus, the dilatation of the tibize in the male is so slight as to be in most instances unnoticeable.
103.—CyYCLOTHORAX PUNCTIPENNIS. n. sp.
Length 2# lines.
Black, nitid. Head smooth with a deep line on each side near the eyes. Thorax emarginate in front, much rounded at the sides and base, with a narrow red reflexed margin ; the basal portion depressed and punctured, and the remainder smooth and without median line. Elytra each with six light strie marked with well defined punctures, which become less distinct towards the apex, and in the sixth striz do not extend beyond the middle ; there is also a punctured sublateral stria. A very narrow reddish border is traceable along the sides and hinder portion of the suture. The legs, antennz, and palpi, are of a pale red.
104.—ABACETUS ATER. nN. sp. Length 2# lines.
Black, nitid. Head small with a short deep curved impression on each side in front. Thorax much broader than the head, and a little broader than the length, emarginate anteriorly, much rounded on the sides, and truncate at the base. The median line is distinct, and takes its rise at some distance from the apex, and the two basal impressions are deep, long, and linear. The lateral margin is small, reflexed, and of a reddish hue. Elytra scarcely broader than the thorax at its broadest part, and deeply striated, with small punctures visible in the striz, and with the interstices broad and convex. Legs, antenne, and palpi pitchy red.
105.—ABACETUS ANGUSTIOR. nN. Sp. Length 2% lines.
This species nearly resembles the last ; it differs in the thorax, which is less emarginate in front, less bulged out and rounded on the sides, and whichis rather longer than the width. The elytra differ in having the striz smaller, and the interstices much more flat. The legs and palpi also are of a lighter colour.
106 THE INSECTS OF GAYNDAH,
106.—AMBLYTELUS AMPLIPENNIS. n. sp. Length 5 lines.
Reddish brown, nitid. Head flat, with two broad impressions between the eyes. Thorax scarcely broader than the head, nearly square, the anterior angles obtuse, the posterior acute, the median line distinctly marked, the basal impressions broad and very deep, and the surface marked with transverse striole, which become more profound towards the base. Hlytra narrowest at the shoulders, widest near the apex, which is broadly rounded ; marked with light faintly punctured strie, and with the interstices broad and nearly flat. The under surface and legs are of a lighter hue.
This insect ought perhaps to constitute another genus. The median tooth of the mentum, though large, is not nearly so much so as that of Amblytelus is said to be, and the form of the thorax is also very different, but the general resemblance and evident affinity are very great.
107.—AMBLYTELUS MINUTUS. na. sp. Length 23 lines.
In colouring and marking almost identical with the last species, it differs in being very minute, in having the facial impres- sions more profound and linear, and in having the thorax with a larger and more reflexed lateral margin, and less profound basal impressions.
108.—Lesticus cHLoRoNnotus, Chaud. Ann. de la Soc. Ent. Belg. T., x1.
109.—TIBARISUS ATER. n. Sp. Length 7% lines.
Black, nitid. Head smooth with two longitudinal impressions on each side, one extending from the eyes to the root of the mandibles, the other,—a broader impression,—situated between and rather in front of the eyes. Thorax square, truncate behind and nearly so in front, slightly rounded at the sides and narrowly
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ, F.L.S. 107
margined laterally, with the median line distinct, and with two basal impressions on each side, the outer one short and curved, the inner long and deep. Elytra very profoundly striated with the interstices smooth and convex. ‘Tarsi clothed with red hair.
This species differs from J’. melas, Casteln., in being much smaller, and in having no vestige of an abbreviated stria near the scutellum, whereas, in JT. melas there is a small impression on the first interstice, emanating from the basal end of the second stria.
110.—TIBARISUS NIGER. n. sp.
Length 5 lines.
This species differs from the last in its much smaller size, in its palpi being less truncate, in the basal impressions of the thorax being broader, and in having a distinct abbreviated stria near the scutellum.
111.—Omatosoma Hercunzes, Casteln. Not. Aust. Col. 1867, page 119.
112.—OMALOSOMA MARGINIFERUM, Chaud. Bull. Mosc. III, page 68.
1138.—Omatosoma corpatum, Chaud. Bull. Mosc. ILL, page 69.
114.—Omatosoma CunnincHamt, Casteln. Not. Aust. Col. 1867, page 120.
115.—NoTONOMUS PURPUREIPENNIS. Nn. sp. Length 73 lines.
Head and thorax black with a greenish tint, the latter very little longer than the breadth, very shghtly rounded at the sides, of the same width at the anterior and posterior angles, emarginate at the base, and deeply impressed on the median line, with the basal impressions long and linear. LElytra purple with a green border, and strongly striated, with the interstices convex, the
108 THE INSECTS OF GAYNDAH,
third marked with two large punctures, one near the centre the other between that and the apex. Legs ciliated with reddish hair.
This may be the Feronia impressicollis of Castelnan, if so, he has made a mistake in describing the posterior margin of the thorax, as being cut convexly in the middle.
116.—NoToNOMUS YIOLACEOMARGINATUS. n. sp.
Length 7} lines. This species is exactly like the last excepting that the elytra have a brilliant red violet margin, are opaque, and have the interstices between the striz almost flat.
117.—NoronoMUs CYANEOCINCTUS. n. sp.
Length 6 lines.
Black, nitid. Thorax longer than the breadth, scarcely narrowed behind, and slightly rounded at the sides, with the median line and basal impressions deeply marked ; the latter are broader and shorter than in the two preceding species. Elytra deeply striated, with the interstices convex, the third interstice marked with two large punctures, one a little behind the middle, the other between that and the apex ; the lateral margin is of a brilliant blue changing in some lights to green.
118.—NoTonoMuS VIRIDICINCTUS. n. sp. Length 53 lines.
Head and thorax black and nitid with a purplish gloss, the latter longer than the breadth, rounded on the sides anteriorly, a little narrowed behind, and emarginate at the base, with the median line broadly marked, and the basal impressions long and deep. The elytra are of a rather dull purple with a bright green margin, and strongly striated, with the interstices but slightly convex, and with two large punctures on the third interstice, one behind the middle, the other near the apex. Legs clothed with © reddish hair.
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ, F.L.S. 109
119.—NoTONOMUS ANGUSTIPENNIS. 2. sp. Length 5 lines.
Differs from the last species in being less brilliant throughout, in having the thorax less rounded laterally, in having the elytra scarcely broader than the thorax, in being destitute of all purple gloss except on the elytra, where it is very slight, and in having the abbreviate stria near the scutellum shorter and more pointed. In other respects the two species are exactly alike.
120.—Sreropus cyannocinctus, Chaud. Bull. Mosc., 1865, III, page 97.
121.—Omaseus Masterst. n. sp. Length 63 lines.
Black, very nitid. Head smooth in the middle, with two small elongate impressions on each side, the external one linear and extending from the eyes to the base of the mandibles, the other impression rather broader. Thorax almost square, rounded behind the anterior angles, truncate at the base, and very slightly narrowed at the posterior angles, with the median line lightly marked and with two deep basal impressions on each side; the outer one close to the posterior angle and very short, the other moderately long and very broad. — Hlytra of a brilliant iridescent hue, with four deep and distinct strize on each side of the suture, and a lateral stria, perfect, with the fifth stria from the suture scarcely traceable towards the apex, and the sixth and seventh only traceable at the apex. The first four interstices are convex.
122—CHLANIOIDEUS PLANIPENNIS. n. sp. Length 8% lines.
Black, nitid. Head deeply but shortly bisulcated in front. Thorax rather broader than the length, slightly rounded at the sides anteriorly, scarcely narrowed behind, broader at the posterior angles than at the anterior, and truncate at the base, with the median line very lightly marked, the inner basal im- pressions broad and deep, and the outer almost circular. Elytra
110 THE INSECTS OF GAYNDAH,
broad and lightly but distinctly striated, with the abbreviated stria near the scutellum two lines long. The interstices are broad and very flat.
This species differs from C. prolivus Erichs., upon which the genus is founded by Baron de Chaudoir, in several particulars, the most evident being the much finer striation of the elytra and greater flatness of the interstices.
123.—PXCILUS SUBIRIDESCENS. n. sp. Length 43 lines.
Black, nitid. Head with two short impressions in front. Thorax longer than the breadth, rounded at the sides, rather narrowed behind, truncate at the base, and with the posterior angles obtuse and rounded, the median line lightly marked, and the basal impressions deep and rather long. Elytra iridescent and strongly striated, with no abbreviated sutural striz, and with the interstices convex. The legs and antenne are of a reddish brown.
124,.—PACILUS ATRONITENS. n. sp. Length 4: lines.
In form and general appearance very much resembling P. subiridescens. It differs in having the frontal impressions smaller and more lightly marked, and in having the spaces be- tween the strie on the elytra more flat. It is alsoa much smaller insect, and with only a trace of iridescence on the elytra.
125.—ARGUTOR FOVEIPENNIS. 2. Sp. Length 3% lines.
Black, nitid. Head with the frontal impressions long and well marked. Thorax transversal, rounded behind the anterior angles and square at the base with the median line well marked, the inner basal impression broad and deep, andthe outer very small. Elytra duller than the thorax,—of a brownish tinge, with an indistinct dull red margin,—and striated, with the abbreviated stria long and joining the first stria from the suture, and with the interstices flat ; the third with three shallow fovee, the first above
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ, F.L.S. lil
- the middle on the outside of the interstice, the second about the middle on the interstice, and the third between that and the apex on the inside of the interstice. The legs and antennz are of a pitchy red.
126.—ARGUIOR NITIDIPENNIS. n. sp.
Length 3 lines.
Black, nitid. Head with the frontal impressions long. Thorax of the same form as in A. foveipennis, out with the basal impres- sions broader, shallower, and somewhat rugose and punctured. Elytra brilliant and striated with the abbreviated basal stria long and joining the first stria, and with three punctures on the third interstice, the upper one not far from the base, and on the outer side of the interstice. The legs and antenne are red.
127.—ARGUTOR OODIFORMIS. n. sp.
Length 3} lines.
Black, nitid. Head as in the last, but with the frontal im- pressions more rugose. ‘Thorax rather more rounded at the anterior angles than in the two preceding species, and having much the appearance of an Oodes. Elytra with a slight bronzy tinge, and strongly striated, with the interstices convex, the third having three punctures as in the last described species; the ab- breviated stria near the scutellum does not join the Ist stria. The tarsi and antennzx are of a brownish red.
128.—PLATYNUS NITIDIPENNIS. na. sp.
Length 4 lines.
Black, very brilliant, with the elytra iridescent, the legs, antennz, and palpi red, and the labrum reddish brown. Head broadly impressed on each side anteriorly. Thorax nearly square, very narrowly margined, a little rounded on the sides anteriorly, very slightly narrowed behind, and truncate at the base, with the posterior angles obtuse, the median line distinct and the basal impressions long, narrow, and deep. The elytra are a little broader than the thorax and more than twice the length, and
H
112 THE INSECTS OF GAYNDAH,
strongly striated, with the interstices convex, and without an abbreviated stria near the scutellum.
This may not be properly one of the Anchomenide, it much resembles some of the Feronide. The palpi, however, and the elongate antenne and legs induce me to place it in this genus.
129.—PLaTYNUS PLANIPENNIS. Nn. Sp. ieee Length 5} lines.
Of a brilliant bronzy black above, and of a pitchy black below, with the margin of the thorax, and the extreme lateral edge of the elytra red. Head smooth with the frontal impressions not deep. Thorax nearly square, rounded on the sides, a little nar- rowed posteriorly, truncate at the base, with the posterior angles obtuse and the margin reflexed; the median line is distinctly marked from the anterior transverse impression to the posterior, and the basal impression on each side is very broad and shallow. The elytra are finely striated, with perfectly flat interstices ; the third interstice has on or near it three large punctures,—the first a little distance from the base in the third stria, the second near the middle in the second stria, and the third nearer the apex in the same stria; the abbreviated stria near the scutellum is long.
130.—PLATYNUS MARGINICOLLIS. n. sp. Length 5 lines.
Head more deeply marked than in the last described species. Thorax the same. LElytra narrower and of a greenish hue, with the reddish border larger, and the striz closely punctured ; the interstices between the strie also appear less flat and broad, and have a shagreen appearance. The legs are yellow. In other respects like P. planipennis.
131.—Dicrocnitn Gory, Boisd. Voy. Astrol. Col., page 32. SiaGONYX. n. gen.
Mentum rather large without median tooth, and with the lateral lobes acutely pointed at the inner portion of the apex.
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ, F.L.S. as
Labium obtuse and corneous at the apex. Palpilong and slender, the second joint of the maxillary longest, the terminal joint of both thickened, and obtuse or truncate at the tip. Mandibles strong and terminating in two very acute arcuated teeth. Labrum short, broad and entire or very slightly bi-emarginated. Antenne long and slender, the first article long and thicker than the others, the second short. Head small, triangular, and slightly narrowed behind. Thorax elongate and narrowed behind with a broad recurved margin. Elytra very slightly convex and of an elongated oval form. Legs long and slender, the first joint of the tarsi very long, fourth short and entire, the first three joints of the anterior tarsi of the male dilated.
This genus resembles Lestignathus, Hrichs., it differs chiefly from it in the very different labium, labrum, and mandibles.
132.—SIAGONYX AMPLIPENNIS. Nn. Sp.
Length 7 lines.
Black, moderately nitid. Head rather rugosely impressed on each side in front. Thorax rounded at the sides, narrowed behind, reflexed broadly at the posterior angles, rugose at the base with the median line deeply marked, and the basal impres- sions broad. Elytra much broader than the thorax, broadest behind the middle, and strongly striated, with the interstices convex. ‘Tarsi and antennez reddish brown.
133.—S1aconyx MASTERS. n. sp.
Length 6 lines.
This species differs from the preceding in having the head smoother, the thorax more narrow, and in being altogether a smaller and more elongate looking insect. In other respects the two species exactly resemble one another.
134.—TRECHUS ATRICEPS. n. sp. Length 1 lines.
Head black, smooth, and deeply impressed on each side in front, with the clypeus, labrum, palpi, and two basal joints of the
114 THE INSECTS OF GAYNDAH,
antenne, yellow. Thorax red, almost square, rounded at the sides anteriorly, narrowed behind, and truncate at the base, with the median line distinct and the basal impression large, shallow, and punctured. Elytra dark brown and striated, with the margin and suture red. Legs of a pale red.
135.—TRECHUS RUFILABRIS. n. Sp.
Length 1} lines.
Head black, smooth and very lightly impressed in front, with the clypeus, labrum, palpi, and antenne of a yellowish red. Thorax yellowish red, very little wider than the head, rounded slightly on the sides, narrowed behind and rounded at the pos- terior angles, with the median line very lightly marked, and the basal impressions very shallow and punctured. LElytra flat, smooth, obsoletely striated, shorter than the body, and of a yellowish red colour, with a large dark brown spot covering nearly all the apical half of each elytron. The under side of the body and legs are of a pale red.
136.—TRECHUS CONCOLOR. nN. sp.
Length 1 lines.
Entirely of a yellowish red colour, excepting the antenns from the third joint to the apex which are of a darker hue, and a slight dash of brown on the forehead. Thorax almost square, rounded a little on the sides anteriorly, and slightly narrowed behind, with the median line slightly marked, and the basal portion transversely impressed and punctured. Elytra strongly striated, the interstices slightly convex.
137.—TRECHUS ATER. 0. sp.
Length 1 lines.
Black, rather dull. Head deeply impressed on each side. Thorax square and very little narrowed behind, with the median line distinct, and the basal impressions very broad, very shallow, and densely punctured. Elytra strongly striated, with a narrow reddish margin, and a slight tinge of the same colour along the
ad
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ., F.L.S. 115
apical half of the suture. The legs, palpi, and first joint of the antenne are red, the rest of the antennz brown and pilose.
The following seventeen species have subulate palpi, and though comprising many different forms, may all be referred to the very comprehensive genus Bembidiwm. I have not attempted to divide them into subgenera.
138.—BEMBIDIUM BISTRIATUM. n. sp.
Length 1 line.
Black, convex, very nitid. Head deeply impressed on each side in front. Thorax somewhat globular, transverse, rounded on the sides, a little lobed at the base and slightly impressed on the median line. Elytra ovate, with a deep stria on each side of the suture, and two lateral striz, the inner one punctured behind ; there are also two large dark red round spots on each elytron, one near the shoulder, the other near the apex. The legs, antenna, and'palpi‘are yellow, the latter have the penultimate joint much swelled.
139.—BEMBIDIUM STRIOLATUM. n. sp.
Length 1 line.
Black with a brilliant bronzy lustre. Head and thorax like those of B. bistriatum, the latter not so globular, nor so rounded on the sides, and with the base more truncate and the posterior angles square. Elytra ovate and striated, the striz broad, rather shallow, and not extending to the base or apex. There are two round yellow spots on each elytron, placed much as in the last species, but much smaller. The legs and basal half of the antenne are of a reddish yellow, the rest of the antenne is of a dark colour.
140.—BEMBIDIUM CONVEXUM. n. sp.
Length 1 line.
This species only differs from B. bistriatum in being more convex, and in having the thorax more rounded and narrowed posteriorly, and in having the impressions or fovez on the basal margin of the elytra more profound.
116 THE INSECTS OF GAYNDAH,
141.—BEMBIDIUM BIPUSTULATUM. ND. sp.
Length 1; limes.
Black, subnitid. Head smooth and longitudinally impressed on each side between the eyes. Thorax rather flat, much broader than the length, slightly rounded on the sides, not narrowed behind, and truncate at the base, with the median line scarcely visible and the basal impressions very short. Elytra broad, striated and of a bronzy hue, with an indistinct red spot near the apex on the outside of each elytron. Legs, palpi, and antennse yellow.
142.—BeEMBIDIUM PUNCTIPENNE. nN. Sp.
Length 1 line.
Entirely of a glossy red. Head large and flat, with the im- pressions between the eyes long and deep. Thorax transversal, convex, much rounded on the sides and narrowed at the base, with the median line lightly marked. Elytra moderately convex, and marked with regular rows of distinct punctures which dis- appear towards the apex. The suture and lateral margins of the elytra are of a rather darker hue than the rest of the body.
143.—BEMBIDIUM ATRICEPS. 12. sp.
Length 1 line.
Head black, and largely impressed on each side between the eyes. Thorax yellowish red, rather flat, transversal, slightly rounded on the sides anteriorly, and with the posterior angles square and broadly reflexed. Elytra somewhat flat, strongly striated, punctured in the striz, and of a reddish colour, with the suture, apex, and a broad median fascia, black. Legs, antenne, and palpi yellow.
144.—BEMBIDIUM TRANSVERSICOLLE. n. sp.
Length 1+ lines.
Of a pale red, slightly clouded with brown on the head and elytra. Thorax transversal, convex, rounded on the sides in front, square and acute at the posterior angles, and transversely de-
BY W. MACLEAY, ESQ, F.LS. 117
pressed at the base, with the median line distinct. The elytra are marked with indistinct striw, those next the suture being the most distinct.
145.—BEMBIDIUM SEXSTRIATUM. n. Sp. Length 14 lines.
Upper surface of a pitchy red clouded in some parts with brown. Head with the frontal impressions broad and long. Thorax little convex, transversal, rounded on the sides, and but very little narrowed towards the posterior angles, which are ‘square and broadly reflexed ; the median line is well marked, and the centre of the base is transversely depressed and rugose. ‘The elytra have three distinct broad striz on each side of the suture, beyond these other striz may be traced, but they are very in- distinct, there is also a large puncture about the line of the fourth stria, at a short distance from the base. The legs and first joint of the antennez are yellow.
146.—BEMBIDIUM OVATUM. un. sp.
Length scarcely 1 line.
Entirely of a pale testaceous colour, convex, and broadly ovate. Head with the frontal impressions long and linear. Thorax transversal, rounded on the sides in front, not narrowed behind, square and slightly reflexed at the posterior angles, and truncate at the base, with a very lightly marked median line and with the transversal depression of the base very small. Elytra broadly ovate with a distinct stria on each side of the suture, and a deep fovei-form impression on the basal margin on each side of the scutellum.
147.—BEMBIDIUM BIFOVEATUM. 1. sp. Length # of a line.
This species only differs from the last in being smaller, less broad, in having no trace of strize on the elytra beyond the dis- tinct one on each side of the suture, and in having a deep fovei-
‘ form impression at the base of the thorax on each side of the
118 THE INSECTS OF GAYNDAH,
centre, which extends to the elytra, and is in fact common to both.
148.—BEMBIDIUM BRUNNIPENNE. 0. Sp. Length 1 line.
Head and thorax reddish brown, the former finely punctured with the frontal impressions lightly marked. Thorax slightly convex, transversal, punctured, rounded on the sides in front, and not narrowed behind, with the posterior angles square, the transversely depressed portion of the base rather large, the median line deeply marked, and the basal impressions short. The elytra are of a dark brown, rather flat, finely punctured all over and striated. The legs, antenne, and palpi are pale red.
Mr. Masters informs me that he found this species on stony ground, and on the summit of a high hill remote from water, a habitat very different from that of this family of insects generally.
149.—BEMBIDIUM RUBICUNDUM. U0. sp. Length $ of a line.
Red, subnitid. Head with the frontal impressions broad but not very deep. Thorax transversal, rounded on the sides, and slightly narrowed at the posterior angles which are square, with the median line very lightly marked, the basal impressions short, and the transversely depressed portion of the base strongly marked. The elytra are rather depressed, and have about six rows of distinct punctures