158 THE CARABIDAE OF TASMANIA, 



rounded on sides, more depressed posteriorly, sinuosity of sides luueli shnrter, 

 denticle at basal angles more sharply marked; elytra with humeral tooth mure 

 l)rominent. 



Phebsita AUSTPans Cast. 



Ilab. — Tasmania (Simson, No. 3()90). Unifiue. 



Phersita convexa, sp. nov. 



Uval, convex; pruthorax broader than long, roundly ampliate at middle, sides 

 sinuate l)etore basal angles, base deeply c(mcave, punctate; elytra very convex, 

 strongly erenulate-striate; scutellar striole wanting, interstices convex, third im- 

 punctate, eighth strongly raised above seventh stria and subcarinate at apex, ninth 

 narrow, seriate punctate. Black; legs, antennae, and palpi red. 



Head convex (1.5 mm. across eyes); frontal impressions parallel, wide, 

 shallow; eyes prominent, distant from buccal fissure beneath, lightly inclosed at 

 base. Prothorax broader than long (1.8 x 2.3 nun.), convex, declivous to base; 

 sides rounded, shortly (but evidently) sinuate to base; basal angles rectangular, 

 subdentate; base truncate above peduncle, sloping slightly forward on each side; 

 basal area depressed, punctate; two impressions on each side, outer impression 

 shorter than inner, space between these impressions depressed; median line dis- 

 tinct. Elytra oval (4 x 3.2 mm.), declivous to base, strongly declivous to apex; 

 base wide, emarginate, bordered ; humeral angles marked, not dentate ; sides 

 rounded. Length. 6.7, breadth, 3.2 mm. 



Ilab. — Zeehan (Simson, No. 2123); Strahau and Waratah (Carter and lea). 

 Eleven specimens have been examined. 



Very closely allied to Ph. australis Cast., from which it differs by larger size, 

 more convex form; the concavity formed by the bases of prothorax and elytra 

 deeper and (on prothorax) more punctate; prothorax more ampliate on sides, 

 basal impressions deeper, margin more strongly raised above the outer impression. 



Genus S i Ji o d o N T u s. 



Xote. — I have identified with confidence S. orthomoides Chaudoir, as synony- 

 mous with S. {.Irgutor) hulomelanus Germ. {Hah. — Mount Lofty Ranges, S. 

 Aust.). S. elongatus Chaudoii-, I believe to be a species found about Sydney, and 

 in the Blue Mountains [cf. Sldane. Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., 1899, p. 573); I 

 have not seen it from Tasmania. 



Table of Tasmanian species. 



1 (4) Metepisterna elongate. 



2 (3) Prothorax hardly narrowed to base; interstices of elytra depressed 



austral is Dej . 



3 (2) Prothorax evidently narrowed to base; elytra lightly striate 



transfuga Chaud. 



4 (li Met-episterna short aeneipennis Chaud. 



SiMODOXTUs AUSTRALIS Dejean. 



7.5 '^ 3.1 iniii. This species was not in the Siiuson Coll., but speci;nens 

 ticketed "Ta-s." were sent to me from the Soutii Australian Museum. 



iVo/f. — Two specimens (c?) from Mr. Lea's collection ticketed "llobart'' are 

 more elongate than .S'. australi.'<, and have the elytra more strongly striate; more 

 .specimens would be needed to enable it to be properly studied. 



