BY THE REV. T. BLACKBURN. 99 



This species, notwitlistanding its diminutive size, appears to be 

 certainly a genuine member of Chalcophora in the Lacoidairean 

 sense. I find it difficult, however, to place it in any of the genera 

 that have been formed at the expense of Chalcophora, The 

 shortness of its antennae prevents its admission to Chalcotcunia in 

 which most of the previously described Australian Chalcophorites 

 find a place, and the scarcely emavginate front of its prosternum 

 forbids its reference to Paracupta or Cyphogastra in which the 

 rest of them have been located. According to the characters 

 specified by M. Kerremans in his recent work on the classification 

 of the Buprestidce (Ann. Soc. Ent. Belg. xxxvii.) this species would 

 appear to be a true Chalcophora, but as no true Chalcophora (in 

 the strict sense) has hitherto l)een reported from the Southern 

 hemisphere there is every probability that it may eventually have 

 to receive a new generic name ; I am not able to i-efer to a 

 .sufficient series of true Chalcophoroe. to justify me in forming a 

 definite conclusion on this point, and therefore for the present call 

 it a Chalcophora. 



In general appearance this insect looks fairly at home among the 

 previou.sly described Australian Chalcophorites although it is more 

 convex and cylindrical than most of them. The whitish powder- 

 like scales form the following markings : a broad vitta near (but 

 not reaching) the lateral margin of the prothorax on either side 

 which is continued hindward on the elytra to near the middle of 

 their length (the elytral portion of this vitta is very indistinct in 

 its middle); and another vitta skirting the lateral margin of the 

 elytra on either side, commencing level with the hind apex of the 

 anterior vitta (but nearer the lateral margin) and. continuing 

 almost to the apex of the elytra. The elytral costse are wide and 

 but feebly elevated ; one of them runs close to the suture and 

 reaches the apex, a second runs near it and parallel with it to 

 bfhind the middle of the elytra where it coalesces with the third 

 costa (which commences immediately behind the apex of the 

 anterior powdery vitta) to form a single costa which reaches the 

 apex ; the fourth costa is very obscure and runs from the shoulder 

 obliquely to near the middle of the elytra ; the fifth costa also 



