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REVISION OF SYMFETES AND HEL^EUS: WITH 

 DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES OF TENEBRI- 

 ONIDjE [COLEOPTERA]. 



By H. J. Carter, B.A., F.E.S. 

 Revision of the genus Sympeles (Pasc, Journ. of Ent. ii., p. 464). 



History. — In 1866 Pascoe formed this genus for the recep- 

 tion of S. Macleayi. It is distinguished from Helceus by the 

 anterior angles of the thorax not meeting in front of the head^ 

 and from Saragus by the niesosternum having no notch for the 

 reception of the prosternal process. Pascoe does not appear to 

 have examined the types of Hope and de Breme, or he would 

 have included S. contractus, S. testxulineus, and aS'. Brcniei of the 

 former; and S. gayates, S. orbicularis, S. rotundatus and S. sub- 

 rugosus of the latter author. This is the more curious, since he 

 refers to S.{Encar a) tricostellas White, as belonging to this genus, 

 of which the type is in tlie British Museum. Moreover he 

 described Saragus patelliformis (Ann. Mag.Nat.Hist.1870, p. 100), 

 leaving it to Mr. Champion to point out that this species as well 

 as S. Duboulaii Pasc, is a Sympetes (Trans. Ent. Soc. 1894, p. 384). 

 From de Breme's figure there is little doubt that S. tonicarinatus 

 Boisd., should also be included in this genus, though I do not 

 know this species. In 1896, Lea described two species, S. 

 acutifrons and <S'. itndulatus. 



Thus Masters' Catalogue contains only two names under 

 Sympetes, viz., S. Macleayi Pasc, and S. niagister Pasc, while 

 Lea has added two under the genus. Of these four, two are, I 

 consider, synonyms, while *S'. niagister Pasc, is certainly not a 

 Sympetes at all. 



Ten species have been removed from other genera into this 

 group, and three new species are herein described, making a total 



