BV H. J. CARTER. 87 



and more recurved, minutely granulose and separated from disc 

 by a line of large lateral punctures. Underside a darker colour, 

 but similar to .S'. orbicularis. Dimensions — (J, 15"5xl3-5; 2> 

 18x16 mm. 



Hab. — Onslow, West Australia; sent by Mr. C. French, F.L.S. 



Two specimens are under examination, one of either sex. This 

 species is intermediate in form between S. orbicularis Breme, and 

 *S'. quadratas. From the former it is differentiated, inter alia, 

 by its widi^r and more circular shape, coarser sculpture of elyti'a, 

 and its wider margins. These last are much narrower than in 

 S. quadratiis, which moi'eover has sharply defined rectangular 

 anterior angles to the prothorax, and is altogether a flatter and 

 larger insect. The excised head, immediately behind the anterior 

 angles of the epistoma, should serve to identify this species. It 

 is so distinct in the female specimen that I thought it was an 

 accidental breakage, until the male showed a similar but smaller 

 excision. The elytral sculpture of the three species is thus to 

 be differentiated: — 



S. excisifrons — punctures regular, clearly separated, round and 

 deep; intervals coarse, shining, irregularly rugose. 



^\ orbicidaris Breme — punctures irregular, large and small, 

 but on the whole smaller, closer and less deep than in S. excisi- 

 frons; intervals showing no definite ridges on central portion and 

 only slightly at sides. 



S. quadralus— densely packed with small round punctures, the 



intervals more finely but more distinctly rugose than in S, 



excisifrons. 



Table of Sympetes. 



A. Explanate margins of elytra oblique, not hovizontal, surface strongly 



chitinised. 

 S. gagates Bveme^tricostellus Bxemeinec White) =contractics Hope. 



B. Explanate margins flat and horizontal, surface less chitinised. 

 a. Explanate margins of elytra together as wide as disc at base. 



b. Anteiior angles of prothorax acutely produced. 



c. Form very wide (margins of elytra 3'5mm.) hicolor, n..sp. 



cc. Form narrower(margins of elytra 2 ram.) acutijrons Lea. 



hh. Anterior angles not acute. 



