BY REV. T. BLACKBURN. 263 



less fuscous, and in some the whole surface of the elytra is dark 

 brown with the markings still darker. 



It is to be observed that, judged by the very insufficient 

 description, P. notata, Oliv., is just possibly a variety of this 

 species, but this is a mere guess, as the description does not 

 indicate that the species belongs to the present subgroup, and 

 the markings as described, though perhaps suggesting this species, 

 are not identical with those of any example I have seen. 



N.S. Wales and Victoria. 



P. INTERSTITIALIS, Chp. 



This species is very close to P. Atalanta in nearly all respects 

 apart from its markings. There is, however, a slight but constant 

 difiference in the puncturation of the interstices of the elytra, for 

 in the present species the interstices are so minutely punctured 

 (disregarding the large punctures similiar to the seriate ones) as 

 to present the appearance of bearing only one kind of puncture, 

 viz., the larger ones, whereas in Atalanta the interstices have a 

 distinct (though quite fine) close puncturation which, especially 

 near the suture, gives a confused appearance even to a casual 

 glance. This difference, however, is less evident in the males 

 than the females. The colouring of the elytra is very different 

 in these two species and, though both are variable, the varieties 

 do not tend to resemblance to the other of the two. Of Atalanta, 

 though I have seen and collected many specimens, I have not 

 seen one in which there are not at least distinct traces of dark 

 markings on the posterior declivity of the elytra, or in which 

 there is in the front part of the elytra any marking unless a 

 small well defined blackish spot on the 5th interstice close to its 

 base, while in interstitialis the elytra are either devoid of markings 

 altogether, or have a large ill-defined cloudy patch, somewhat 

 darker than the general surface, a little behind the base and 

 extending from near the suture to near the lateral margin. In 

 some examples of both species the punctures on the elytra appear 

 infuscate from some points of view. 



N.S. Wales and Victoria. 



