BY H. J. CARTER. 71 



a letter from my friend, Mr. G. E. Bryant, who has collected 

 widely in Australia, and who has been kind enough to send me 

 drawings of the types of the above. From the drawing of A. 

 Macleayi Bates, the apices of elytra, though produced, are not 

 certainly produced so far as the spines. Of this species, Mr. 

 Bryant writes, "It differs from the other two "(4. spinosus and 

 A. metallescens) "in being smaller and narrower, and the thorax 

 more thickly punctured, and is a much bluer colour." (A speci- 

 men in Mr. Lea's collection, from Mullewa, W.A., exactly 

 answers to this description.) Of the others he says "P. spinosus 

 Waterh., is a much broader insect, and the eyes are wider apart. 

 P. metallescens Westw., happens to agree with one of the speci- 

 mens put with P. spinosus; it differs from P. spinosus only in 

 having the anterior angles of the thorax sloping in, instead of 

 out; in colouring, they are exactly alike, and I dare say the shape 

 of the thorax is sexual." He also says, "I believe A. Macleayi 

 Bates, P. spinosus Waterh., and P. metallescens Westw., are, in 

 all probability, the same species." I must here state my agree, 

 ment with the sexual differences. Three specimens of A. metal- 

 lescens are before me, of which one is male, two female; the male 

 has the thoracic spines straight, or slightly in-sloped; the two 

 females have them distinctly pointing outwards; while the species 

 varies considerably in size and width (one of the females has 

 the ovipositor extruded; the male has the front tarsi slightly 

 enlarged). 1 would, for the present, hold A. Macleayi Bates, as 

 distinct, the single type-specimen recorded having certain denned 

 distinctions; while its widely different locality is noteworthy 

 (Champion Bay). My specimens of A. metallescens Westw., are 

 from Cootamundra, N.S.W.; Gippsland, and Queensland, while 

 that of A, quadrispinosus Waterh., was taken by myself at 

 Acacia Creek, Northern New South Wales. 



Lygestira Pasc. 

 The species are correctly stated in Junk's Catalogue. Black- 

 burn has pointed out the synonymy of L. funerea Pasc, with L. 

 simplex Westw., while the second species, L. lata Waterh., is 

 easily distinguished by its wider form and finer punctuation. 



