BY E. W. FERGUSON. ^9 



Amycterus Kirhyi Guerin, (Voy, Coquille, ii., (2), 1830, p. 121) 

 is a species of Sclerorinus, and, almost certainly, conspecific with 

 S. subcostatus Macleay. The name Kirhyi would appear to be 

 preoccupied by the Psalidura Kirhyi of W. S. Macleay (King's 

 Survey, App. ii., p. 444, 1827), Psalidura being, at that time, 

 regarded as synonymous with Amycterus. Later, Psalidura 

 Kirhyi W. S. Macleay, was transferred to Talaurinus, but I do 

 not think that Guerin's name can now be revived for the Sclero- 

 rinus. Bohemann(Schonn., Gen. Insect, vii. (1), 1843) described, 

 among other species of Amycterus^ three which belong to Sclero- 

 rinus —A. elongatus, A. Hopei, and A. Spencei. Fuller reference 

 will be made to these species later. 



Germar (Linn. Ent.iii., 1848, p. 217) described a single species, 

 S. sublineatus, which is common in South Australia. 



Macleay (Trans. Ent. Soc. N. S. Wales, i., 1865) proposed the 

 genus, and added the names of thirty-six new species. Sub- 

 sequently, he described nine others {loc. cit., 1866, pp. 322-6). 

 There can be no doubt that Macleay relied far too much on 

 variable points of structure in separating his species, consequently 

 the list of synonyms is a heavy one; but, even with his types 

 before me, and with fairly extensive series of most species, I have 

 found it difficult, in some cases, to decide as to the validity of a 

 species. I regard the following synonymy as fairly certain ; 

 fuller reference to some of the discarded species will be made 

 under the specific descriptions. 



S. Adelaidai = S. nodulosus amd S. divaricatus; S. Waterhousei 

 = S. interioris; S. Aiigasi and S. rugicollis are fairly certainly 

 referable to S. vittatus; while I regard S. conspersus and *S'. 

 fuscus as variations of the same species; ^S'. cojifusus, distinguished 

 mainly by its light-coloured sette, is also doubtfully distinct from 

 5. vittatus] S. sordidus and S. acumiuatus are evidently sexes of 

 t\\^. same species; S. asper and >S'. Hoioitti I cannot separate from 

 S. tristis Boisd.; S. sabulosus and .S'. arenosus are the same; *S'. 

 anyustatus is a small male of 6\ exilis, with lighter-coloured setse; 

 S. subcostatus = S. vermiculatus; S. interruptus is a form of S. 

 subsequens, a variable species. aS'. Riverince is possibly not a 

 Sclerorinus; if the species be referred to Talaurinus, the synonym 



