BY EUSTACE W. FERGUSON. 525 



The genus Psalidura is almost entirely restricted to the eastern 

 colonies, only one species, and that an aberrant one, — P perlata, 

 from Eucla — being described from west of Victoria, though P. 

 flavovaria may possibly be from South Australia. In Queens- 

 land, New South Wales, and Victoria the genus is widespread, 

 and rich in species, while Tasmania has one representative. 



On the whole, the genus seems to prefer the higher mountain 

 ranges and tablelands; and, though specimens are by no means 

 uncommon on the plains, the species represented there are less 

 numerous and more widely distributed. While many of the 

 species are quite local in their distribution, others are spread over 

 wide areas of the country. 



History. — The first insect of the subfamily was described by 

 Kirby in 1818, under the name of Curcidio mirabilis. Kirby 

 has given two figures of his species, but unfortunately while the 

 figure of the insect seems to indicate a member of the P. impressa- 

 group', that of the anal excavation shows it to be a member of the 

 *' gular-horn-group"; subsequent describers have all described it as 

 having the gular horn, but Kirby himself does not mention it. 



The genus Psalidura appears to have been created by Fischer 

 von Waldheim for the reception of Curculio mirabilis Kirby. 

 Agassiz' •'Nomenclator" gives the following reference: Psalidu7'a 

 (Macl.) Fisch v, W., Mem.. Soc. imp. Mosc. vi., 1823.- On the 

 other hand, Lacordaire and Sir W. Macleay quote W. S. Macleay 

 as the author, (King's Survey, Appendix, 1826). W. S. Macleay 

 has given a very short note on the genus, which he spelt 

 Phalidura. Unfortunately I have not been able to see Fischer's 

 paper, and cannot ascertain whether he actually described the 

 genus. 



The genus Amycterus was created in 1826 by Schonherr; his 

 paper also is not available in Sydney; but the name was long 

 used for all species of Ainycteridce except Acantholophus. Agassiz' 

 "Nomenclator" gives the reference as follows — Amycterus 

 <Dalman) Schonh., Disp. Meth. 1826. 



If Fischer actually described Psalidura^ Amycterus will have 

 to be regarded as a synonym; for the present, Lacordaire may be 

 56 



