HY ARTHUR M. LEA. 95 



ANTHICID^. 



FORMICOMUS ELEGANS, Lea. 



This species is an Anthicus; it was referred to Formicomiis on 

 account of its resemblance to the Rev. R. L. King's Formicomus 

 australis, since referred by Mr. G. C. Champion to Anthicus. 

 Formicomus obliquifasciatus, King, and F. posticalis, Lea, also 

 appear to be referable to Anthicus. 



MORDELLTD^. 



MoRDELLA COMMUNIS, Waterh. 



M. TRiviALis, Waterh. 



M. FUGiTiVA, Lea. 



M. .EMULA, Lea. 



M. Raymoxdi, Lea. 



It may be possible that all or more than one of these names may 

 be retained as distinct, but having a very large series of specimens 

 before me from New South Wales (including many from Mount 

 Kosciusko) and Tasmania, I have doubts as to whether they 

 represent more than one species. 



M. trivialis is supposed to be distinct principally on account of 

 the pubescence of the head and prothorax, but I have specimens 

 having this pubescence uniforml}^ 3^ellowish (as in the type), some 

 having it mixed with grey or black pubescence and others having 

 the prothoracic pubescence entirely dark. 



In describing M. fugitlva, M. Raymondi, and M. cemula, I 

 relied partly on size, but principally on the shape and length of 

 the aculeus, but this organ (in some species at least)appears to be 

 variable sexually; moreover, its shape is altered in appearance 

 by the portion of the abdomen by which it is clasped at the base. 

 The tibial spurs vq,ry in colour from entirely dark to the apical 

 half (or fourth) more or less diluted with red. The anterior legs 

 are sexually variable in colour. The median zigzag fascia of the 

 elj^tra appears to be exceedingly variable, but this variability is 

 caused solely by the greater or less abundance of silvery (or 



