458 REVISION OF THE AUSTRALIAN CURCULIONID.E, 



and moderately numerous in Tasmania (where a species* has been 

 recorded as destructive to fruit trees, by nibbling the bark, and 

 young buds) ; the dense tropical scrubs of Queensland and 

 northern New South Wales abound in them. Most of the species 

 may be taken in abundance at night time crawling over logs and 

 stumps; during the day they usually remain concealed in holes, 

 they or other insects have drilled in timber. West of and on the 

 Great Dividing Range several species are very abundant under 

 logs, stones, &c. The colour of all the species may be described 

 as opaque-black, antenn?e, claws and tibial hooks piceous-red or 

 reddish-piceous. 



The genus cannot be satisfactorily divided into groups dependent 

 only on the relative lengths of the two b&sal joints of the funicle; 

 it may, however, be divided into several natural ones ; and this 

 I attempt to do with the species I am acquainted with. 



i — S c u t e 1 1 u m present. 



Group A — Type, P. antiqims. 



Narrow, subparallel, convex, granulate and feebly or not at all 

 tuberculate. Eyes moderately granulate. Rostrum curved. 

 Antennae elongate ; scape inserted close to apex, considerably 

 passing muzzle; basal joint of funicle equal to or a little longer 

 than 2nd; club free. Prothorax not much narrower at apex 

 than at base, carina feeble. Scutellum present. Elytra with 

 shoulders feebly rounded. Intermediate segments of abdomen 

 rather wide, flat, not depressed below level of apical. Femora 

 not reaching middle of posterior declivity. 



This group, consisting of three closely allied species is, I believe, 

 confined to Tasmania. 



Elytra with posterior declivity almost perpendicular; 

 uear its summit with a feeble obtuse tubercle on 3rd 

 interstice zoi^herufi, n.sp. 



Posterior declivity rounded, without tubercle. Inter- 



coxal process narrower than in the preceding ahsfersus, Boheni. 



P. antiquum, Bohem. 



