BY EUSTACE W. FERGUSON. 529 



are due for the manner in which he has encouraged me through 

 many difficulties towards the final completion of my task. 



PsALiDURA Fischer. 



Fischer v.W, Mem. Soc. imp. Mosc. vi., 1823; W. S. Macleay, 

 King's Survey, ii., Appendix, 1826; Lacordaire, Gen. Col. vi.l863; 

 W. Macleay, Trans. Ent. Soc. JS^. S.Wales, i., 1865. 



(J. Form elongate-ovate, convex. Clothing variable; setigerous. 

 Head convex, separated from rostrum by a transverse sulcus. 

 Eostrum short, thick, external ridges subparallel, internal ridges 

 convergent posteriorly, base bisulcate, median area depressed 

 anteriorly. Scape long, first joint of funicle longer than second. 

 Prothorax granulate; apical lobe varying in degree of production, 

 ocular lobes feeble. Elytra strongly declivous, apex subtruncate, 

 broadl}?^ flanged and mucronate; disc striate, interstices granulate 

 or costiform. Undersurface feebly concave. Third and fourth 

 abdominal segments short, together less than second; fifth deeply 

 excavate, abdominal fascicles almost invariably present. Anal 

 forceps fully developed. 



^. Form more elliptical; mandibles always simple; elytra more 

 evenly rounded, apex more gradually produced, not flanged, and 

 not mucronate; undersurface gently convex, intermediate seg- 

 ments larger than in male, fifth segment not excavated. 



Fischer's description of the genus I have not seen. W. S. 

 Macleay gives the following note : — " Obs. The characters of this 

 most singular genus Phalidura are chiefly to be found in the 

 broken clavate antennae, short thick rostruaa, connate elytra, and 

 singular anal forceps of the male." Lacordaire and Sir W. 

 Macleay both give generic descriptions, and I have followed the 

 latter in limiting the genus to those species with the forceps 

 fully developed. 



To the above generic description I would add the following 

 notes on the anatomy of the sexual and anal organs of the male; 

 of the parts revealed im dissection (though of generic importance) 

 I have made no use in specific descriptions, beyond the shape of 

 the penis. The anal excavation is a deep semicircular depression, 

 57 



