324 NOTES ON AUSTRALIAN COLEOPTERA, 



follow the lines of the interstices, while the blackish scales are 

 condensed in somewhat square-looking spots (20 or thereabouts on 

 each elytron), a very conspicuous one being placed immediately 

 behind the slight nodosity in which the 5th and 6th interstices 

 unite and terminate. The interstices are rather sharply elevated* 

 especially towards the sides and apex and one or two of them 

 (especially the 3rd and 6th) seem a little more prominent than the 

 rest. Small denuded spots here and there show the somewhat 

 nitid black derm ; a row of semi-erect setje runs along each inter- 

 stice, the individual setae being of the same colour as the scales 

 among which they are inserted. The scutellum is whitish. 



The above is the description of a well-marked brightly coloured 

 example, but the species seems to be very variable, and in the 

 numerous series before me (in which I can find no differences 

 likely to be specific) the distinctness of the markings gradually 

 diminishes till the opposite extreme from that I have described 

 presents a nearly uniform clothing of whitish-brown or grey- 

 bi'own scales. The most persistent markings (which are not quite 

 wanting in any example before me) are the whitish or white scu- 

 tellum and the black spot behind the nodosity near the apex of the 

 elytra. The less brightly marked specimens seem to have the 3rd 

 and 6th interstices more conspicuously elevated than usual and I 

 am not sure that I am right in not treating them as distinct. 



Mr. Pascoe lias seen an example of this species and returned it 

 as unknown to him. 



S. A. ; appears to be common and widely distributed, generally 



occurring under bark and not infrequently under stones and rotten 



logs of wood. 



Desiantha assimilis, sp.nov. 



Oblonga ; nigra, antennis pedibusque plus minus rufes- 

 centibus ; squamis pallide brunneis sat sequaliter vestita ; 

 rostro sat nitido ; prothorace oblongo crebre subtilius subru- 



* I find that this apparent sharjyness of elevation is considerably due to 

 the distribution of scales as it is little noticeable in an example which I 

 have entirelj' denuded of scales. 



