474 A NEW GENUS OF THE LAMPRIMIDES OF LACORDAIRE. 



Phalacrognathus Muelleri. Macleay. 



Lamprima Muelleri. Proc. Linn. Soc, N". S. Wales, Vol. X., 

 p. 135, Female. 



Male. Head short, angular before the eyes, emarginate in front, 

 quite smooth, and of a brilliant dark metallic gi^een. The mandibles 

 which are of a black colour, exceed in length the head and thorax 

 conjoined, they have a few minute teeth at the inner base close 

 to the mouth, and a strong horn pointing upwards close to the 

 head, from thence they extend forwards, curving upwards in two 

 long smooth parallel shafts, grooved without and fluted within 

 and terminate in two broad flattened diverging points ; there 

 is no vestige of hair or pile. 



The thorax is much wider than long, moderately convex and of 

 a dull brassy hue ; the anterior portion of the sides have a broad 

 nitid margin, the posterior is crenulated as in the female, the base 

 is narrowly mai'gined and slightly sinuate, the median line is 

 almost obsolete. The elytra differ fi'om those of the female, 

 in being entirely without punctures, in greater brilliancy of 

 metallic splendour, in having the lateral margin crenulated 

 for some distance behind the shoulders, and more distinctly 

 emarginate and narrowed tovvards the apex. The anterior tibise 

 are strongly toothed externally along their whole length and the 

 extension of the anterior femur on each side of the knee-joint is 

 very conspicuous. 



Long (niand. inch) 24 lines. 



This description must of course be read with my previous one of 

 the female, as it is only the sexual distinctions which Ihavenowgiven. 



I have been unable, I regret to say, to examine the trophi so 

 closely as I could have wished, as it is impossible even in the case 

 of insects of such large size, to investigate the parts of the mouth 

 without dissection, and that of course is out of the question with 

 unique specimens ; but I believe they vary little from those of 

 Lmiifrima. 



Mr. French has given me no nearer approximation to the habitat 

 of this magnificent insect than " North Australia." 



