78 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



living upon or under the skin. Among these might be mentioned, 

 for example, the well-known, microscopic, itch mites (Sarcoptidce) 

 and the subcutaneous parasites of birds (Hypoderidce), usually 

 to be found in great numbers, or " nests," especially in the fatty 

 masses under the base of the wings, adhering to the veins and in 

 other portions. Species of all these forms are represented in this 

 country, but the material at disposal is insufficient to induce the 

 publication of descriptions at present. 



Order APHANIPTERA. 



Family PuLiciDiE. 



Stephanocircus, gen. nov. 



Body elongate, especially in the female, bristly, noticeably 

 stronger at the anal extremity. Antennae capitate, four-jointed; 

 the second joint in female with long l)ristles extending to the tip of 

 the fourth, in male very short ; fourth joint lamellar, apparently 

 composed of nine segments. Head moderately large ; in the female 

 with an evserted, cap-like patella in the front, strongly pectinated round 

 its posterior margin, the face also strongly pectinated; in the male 

 the posterior margin of the head only pectinated ; eyes wanting in 

 the female ; trophi less than the length of tlie head ; mandibles 

 extremely slender, minutely serrated, encased in four-jointed labial 

 palpi, which they somewhat exceed in length ; lingua extremely 

 slender ; maxillee elongate, triangular, somewhat exceeding the 

 second joint of the labial palpi, with no apparent apical joint ; 

 maxillary palpi four-jointed, the first and fourth of about equal 

 length, the third shorter and the second the longest, acuminate ; 

 joints of the labial palpi progressively diminishing in length and 

 thickness. Prothorax in female with a strong pectinate fringe. 

 Legs long, spinous ; coxee of posterior two pairs with a distinct notch 

 posteriorly at the apex ; femora very minutely and sparingly 

 spined ; tarsi five-jointed, the first, second, and fifth joints long, 

 the third shorter, the fourth shortest, half the length of the fifth ; 

 claws microscopically denticulate. 



Stephanocircus dasyuri, sp. nov. 



Length of male 1-90 mm. ; of female 2-80 mm. 



Castaneous brown, nitidous. Head of the male convex above, 

 of female flat. Eyes of male small, black. Pectinal fringes and 

 setfe black or dark brown. Thorax long, in the female nearly the 

 length of the body. Abdomen about twice as long as broad in 

 the male, shorter in the female, darker castaneous brown in the 

 female, bristly. Legs of a uniform pale castaneous brown. 



Habitat. — New South Wales, on Dasytinis mactdatus, Kerr. 



The species for which the above new genus has been proposed 

 was at first considered by me to be attributable to Ceratopsylhis 



