404 



REVISIONAL NOTES ON AUSTRALIAN CARABID^. 



Part. iv. The Genus Notonomus. 



By Thomas G. Sloane. 



In These Proceedings for 1902 (Vol. xxvii., Part 2), T published 

 "A Revision of the Genus Notonomus" At that time the number 

 of species recognised in the genus was seventy-two, and, now, 

 after making due allowances for species added since 1902, and 

 alterations in nomenclature through some species being reduced 

 to the rank of varieties, and others becoming synonyms, the full 

 number will be seventy-four. To these, fifteen new species are 

 added in the present paper, making eighty-nine in all; no doubt 

 there are a considerable number of species still to be discovered. 



The Table of species given by me in 1902 was constructed on 

 artificial lines; in the present paper, I have tried to arrive at a 

 better method of classification by the use of Species-groups. It 

 is evident that the system of groups now adopted still leaves 

 much to be desired, some species being attached to groups to 

 which they have but doubtful affinities. This unsatisfactory 

 result has been caused firstly, by my desire to make few groups; 

 and, secondly, by the extremely intricate manner in which the 

 characters, on which the groups are founded, are diffused gener- 

 ally throughout the genus, owing, no doubt, to their being derived 

 from numerous ancient stems, probably along many lines of 

 descent, so that the relationships of the present-day species pre- 

 sent a bewildering labyrinth for the taxonomist to puzzle over. 

 The following characters are useful in attempting to disentangle 

 the relationships of the present-day species. 



Sides of prothorax, sinuate or not before base; this is not a 

 character of high taxonomic value, but in the sphodroides-group 

 it has some importance. 



Posterior marginal puncture of prothorax — Whether the pos- 

 ition of this setiferous pore is actually on the lateral border, or 



