BY THE REV. T. BLACKBURN. 85 



AMBLYTELIDES [tribus (sensu Lacordairei) nova]. 



Amblytelus. 



Amhlytehts is (as M. Lacordaire says) a very difficult genus to 

 place, but I cannot satisfy myself that the great French author 

 has done well in placing it in the Trigonotomides, inasmuch as its 

 mentum is not particularly feebly emarginate. I have a consider- 

 able number of species before me (including one from Tasmania 

 which is evidently the typical species), and in all these, and also 

 in Erichson's figure, the meotum is not much different from that 

 of many Feronides, but is totally distinct from that of typical 

 Trigonotomides {e.g., Lesticus or Abacetus). 



I think there is no doubt tiiat this genus and some other genera 

 hitherto undescribed allied to it ought to be regarded as repre- 

 senting a distinct " tribe " (as Lacordaire understood the term), 

 i.e., a group of equal value with that of the Feroniides, Trigono- 

 tomides, &c. This group will be characterised among the Carahidoi 

 as follows : — intermediate coxal cavities closed, head furnished 

 above with two supra-orbital setigerous punctures and not grooved 

 beneath to receive the antennae, mandibles with a setigerous 

 puncture in the groove, basal 3 joints of antennae glabrous (4th 

 pubescent, at least near the apex), margin of the elytra interrupted 

 at posterior 3rd and having a distinct internal plica, terminal joint 

 of maxillary palpi not springing obliquely from the preceding joint. 

 I believe the following character will also prove to be constant : — 

 8th interstice of elytra strongly plicate-carinate near the apex. 



Besides Amblytelus I think there can hardly be a doubt that 

 Dyscolus austrcdis, Er., and D. dilatatus, Er., will find a place in 

 this tribe, indeed Mr. Sloane has shown me a specimen said to be 

 of the latter (alleged to have been named by Mr, Bates and agree- 

 ing with the description) which certainly is an Amblytelus or 

 (more probably) of a new genus very near Amblytelus ; it unfortu- 

 nately was badly broken in transmission, and is now hardly fit to 

 be dealt with. 



Mr. T. G. Sloane has sent me a number of interesting species 

 allied to Amblytelus (together with some valuable notes), and my 



