BY T. G. SLOANE. 421 



Hab. — Victoria : Neerim. Type in National Museum, Melbourne. 



A very distinct species, with affinities towards N. plutus Cast.; 

 from which it differs by colour; striae of elytra more lightly im- 

 pressed, etc. It is hardly more strongly striate than X. pliilippi 

 Newm., which it resembles in colour of elytra. The elytra are not 

 firmly soldered together. This species evidently gives a hint of the 

 ancient form, from which the chalybeus-group is descended. Three 

 specimens (9) have been examined. 



Var. recticollis n. var. — Other specimens given to me by the late 

 Mr. W. Kershaw (and also in the National Museum, Melbourne) 

 are darker in colour, but equally polished; they also differ by 

 having the prothorax more strongly sinuate on sides posteriorly, 

 basal angles rectangular; strise of elytra still more feebly im- 

 pressed. This form is probably a closely allied species rather than 

 a variety, but, owing to its exact locality being unknown, and the 

 likelihood of connecting forms being found, I prefer, with the 

 materials before me, (four specimens, <J2) to regard it as a 

 variety of N. temtistriatus. 



14. N. peroni Cast. — A variable species, widely spread in the 

 mountains of Victoria eastward from Melbourne. The following 

 varieties may be noted : — 



A. Viridescent, legs black. Eastern Gippsland (French). 



B. Viridescent, legs reddish. Marysville (Sloane). 



C. Cyaneous, elytra flushed with purple. Ferntree Gully and 

 Warburton (Sloane). 



D. Black. Bright (French). 



16. N. spliodroides Dej. — In my Revision of 1902, I was alto- 

 gether mistaken about this species, and identified a form of X. 

 dyscoloides Motsch., as X. spliodroides. It is now apparent to me 

 that X. spliodroides Dej., is the same as the viridescent species 

 from the Otway Ranges, which, in my Revision, is placed as a 

 variety of N. accedens Chaud. 



Var. accedens Chaud., ( = X. pristonychoides Motsch.). — I have 

 only one specimen that can be referred to N. accedens Chaud., viz., 

 the one described in my Revision under N. accedens. I consider, still, 

 that X. pristonychoides Motsch., is conspecific with X. accedens, 



