386 DESCRIPTIONS* OK NEW SPKCIES OP AUSTRALIAX COLEOPTERA, 



DlTROPIUUS FASCIATIS Baly. 



il). caiiescens Clip.) 



Ou this species there is a sliort (il)li(|ue earina on each side of the prothinax 

 at the base, very distinct on tlie male, feeble on the female; the wide fascia on 

 the elytra varies in extent, sometimes being- continuous except for a very narrow 

 interruption at the suture, at other times appearing as a large spot on each side; 

 the leg's are usually entii'cly dark or almost so. The clothing of the itrothoi-ax 

 varies apparently in accordance with the elytral fascia, on specimens having tliis 

 of gi-eat extent the pubescence in <lecidedly denser than on those whose fascia is 

 gi-eatly reduced in size; the elytra are usually entirely glabrous, but on an occa- 

 sional specimen the sides are feebly pubescent towards the base. 



DiTROPinus FASCiATUs var. pictipes, n.var. 



Sis males, from Cue, differ from thu typical form in having the |>riithuracic 

 punctures somewhat coarser, and the leg's red, except that the tarsi are almost 

 black, that there is a black streak on the under surface of the front femora, and 

 that the knees are slightly infuscated. the elytral fascia is wide and very narrowly 

 interrupted at the suture, and the dark parts of the elytra, although brassv, ai-e 

 paler than the prothorax. 



A specimen, from Port Lincoln, appears to represent another variety; it has 

 the elytra entirely pale, except that a small amount of the base is <lark and the 

 suture is infuscated; the colour, however, is less flavous than usual; tlie front logs 

 are dark, but with the coxae and part of the tibiae obscurely reddish, the other 

 legs are red, except for the tarsi and knees. The outer lialf of each elytron is 

 sparsely l)ut rather distinctly pubescent. 



A female, from "Western Australia, nuiy reiiresent still another variety, it is 

 unusually small (3 nun.) and at first glance the elytra ai)|iear to be entirely dark, 

 but from some directions a fairly large space on each side about the basal third 

 appears to be obscurely diluted with Havous; the legs are almost entirely dark, 

 the prothorax has denser punctures than usual, with it tendency to become longi- 

 tudinally cuntl\u'nt. and the latero-basal earinae are scarcely indicated. 



DlTROPIIIfS llOFtlAE ('hl>. 



Numerous s])eciniens from Northern Queensland (Cape York, Cairns, JIackay 

 and Bundaberg) ]irobably belong to this species, but only two of them could fairly 

 be noted as having both prothorax and elytra "nigTo-cyaneis"' ; on most of them 

 the elytra are purple, or deep purplish-blue, and the prothorax blue or black, 

 with a slight greenish gloss; the elytra usually have some of tlie interstices 

 obliquely strigose. but on some of them tliey are feebly strigose only near the 

 apex. The eyes of the male are close together, about half the length of the 

 basal joint of the antennae separating them; on the female the distance Ixt ween 

 them is about eriual to the len.gth of that joint. 



DiTitDi'iurs TiiiiAi.is Clip. 



A small metallic sjjecies raliiei- (Mimnioii in New South AVales ; the typical form 

 has legs i)ale, )mt hind femora dark; the prothoracic punctures are rather dense 

 and sharply defined. 



