1256 NOTES ON AUSTRALIAN COLEOPTERA, 



tarsisque maculatim infuscatis, pedibus antennisque testaceis ; 

 sat fortiter sat crebre (elytris sublineatim) punctulatus. 



[Long. 2? (vix), lat. IJ lines. 



The head is longer and scarcely narrower than the prothorax, 

 which is twice as wide as long, its base (which is scarcely bisinuate 

 and but little lobed hind ward in the middle) being very little 

 wider than the front, which is moderately concave, with angles 

 moderately sharp and not much produced ; the hind angles are 

 fairly distinct but not at all sharp. The general facies is very 

 similar to Heteronyx, though the head looks disproportionately 

 large. 



N. Territory of S. Australia ; taken by Mrs. Bovill. 



BUPRE-^TID^. 



ASTRiEUS MASTERSI, Macl. 



There seems to be no doubt that this is identical with A. 

 Satnouellei, Saund. The species is a very distinct one, and the 

 descriptions are almost word for word the same. A. j^ygmceus, 

 Poll., does not appear to differ except in the absence of the sub- 

 apical yellow spot on the elytra. The author seems to have some 

 doubt as to the specific value of his name. I have not myself 

 seen a specimen without the sub-apical spot ; but as some of the 

 other spots undoubtedly vary, I should hesitate much to regard 

 A. pygmcbus as more than a var., especially as in the following 

 species I find a precisely similar variation. 



A. MEYRICKI, sp.nOV. 



Nitidus ; postice ab ely trorum basi fortiter angustatus ; Isete 

 cupreus, capite prothoraceque obscurioribus vel virescentibus, hoc 

 certo adspectu cyanescenti, elytris flavo-bifasciatis (fasciis suturam 

 haud admodum attingentibus, anteriori sat angusta vix ante 

 medium posita, posteriori paullo ante apicem magis etiam angusta) 

 et maculis binis flavis ornatis (harum altera ovali longitudinaliter 

 ad basin in interstitio 3° posita, altera lineari inter fasciam pos- 

 teriorem et apicem posita) ; subtus sat dense argenteo-pubescens ; 



