BY ARTHUR M. LEA. 381 



AxTHicus RARUS King. 



A. Icrefftii King; A. propinquus Macl. ; ,1. (iii--ytralis Champ, {not King) . 



Although placeJ in a different section of the genus hy Iviug, i cannot satisfy 

 myself that the type of A. Icrefftii is other than a specimen of A. rarm, with the 

 markings of the elytra almost obliterated; the shape of the elytra (including the 

 conspicuous subsutural striae) and the lateral foveoles of the prothorax are iden- 

 tical, but the elytral punctures are not quite as strong as usual (I have, however, 

 specimens with the typical markings of ranis, and with punctures no stronger than 

 on the type of krefftii) . Tasmanian specimens have larger and darker markings 

 and somewhat stronger punctures than those on the mainland. The other 

 synonymy has been already noted. 



AxTHicus MYRTEUS King. 



(-1. ghibricoUis King.) 



Specimens that some years ago were compared and agreed with the type of 

 A. myrteus, structurally agree well with the type of A. glahricollis, although the 

 former was referred to Group 4, and the latter to Group 10. The dark parts 

 vary from moderately infuscated to deep black, the prothorax (as on the type of 

 glahricoUis) is sometimes of an uniform lurid-brown, but is usually paler at the 

 base than in front, occasionally it is entirely black. The species occurs in abund- 

 ance on flowers in New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. 



AxTiiicus xiTiDissuirs King. 



In general appearance this species is very close to A. xerophilus, and the 

 elytral marking-s of the type are practically identical, but it diffei-s in being slightly 

 wider, head darker (on some specimens, however, the head is not infuscated), pro- 

 thorax more dilated in front, and elytra with distinct punctures only in front of the 

 median markings; on xerophilus there are quite distinct punctures on the median 

 markings, and beyond them to the apex (althougli becoming smaller posteriorly) 

 and the punctures in front of the markings are also considerably denser than on 

 A. nitidissimus. From A. exiguus it differs in being somewhat larger, elytra con- 

 spicuously wider, and with much smaller punctures; the elytral markings are also 

 not quite the same. 



The original description of the colour of the elytra is somewhat misleading; 

 ihey are pale eastaneous, with a blackish median fascia narrowed towards and 

 rot meeting at the suture, an infuscate spot on each side of the apex, the space 

 between the spots and the median fascia paler than the basal half; a fairly large 

 space about the scufellum is slightly darker than the rest of the basal half, but 

 certainly not "piceous." The colour of the tyiies has perhaps slightly altered 

 since they were taken (over fifty years ago) but agrees well with some recently 

 taken tmes. The species occurs in Western Australia as well as in South Australia. 



MECYNOTARStTS ZICZAC King. 



Mr. J. S. Clark took numerous specimens of this species, about the Swan 

 River, from nests of Ponera httea. 



