Australian and Tasinanian Coleoptera. 191 



Maxillary palpi t'our-jointed ; first joint almost entirely con- 

 cealed, second long and rather thin, third short and sub- 

 triangular, fourth elliptic ovate, not much shorter than second. 

 Prothnrax transverse, base strongly bisinuate, each side with 

 a conspicuous stria commencing near the apex on the extreme 

 margin, and curved round so as to touch the base half-way 

 between side and scutellar lobe. Scutelluin small. Elytra 

 elliptic or elliptic-ovate, epipleuiae fairly wide at base, and 

 very narrow at apex. Prosterni(,m with distinct sutures, not 

 carinated along middle. Mesosternum narrowly produced be- 

 tween coxae. Metasternum moderately long ; episterna narrow 

 in front, gradually widened posteriorly. Abdomen with six 

 segments, the apical one very small or sometimes concealed. 

 Front coxae large, conical, prominent, cavities open behind ; 

 middle pair almost touching ; hind pair lightly separated, sides 

 almost touching elytra; trochanters rather small ; femora rather 

 long and thin, edentate ; tibiae thin, apical spurs minute ; tarsi 

 five-jointed, rather thin but basal joints of the two front pairs 

 inflated in male ; claws thin and simple. Body winged. 



Although there are four species before me I have not been 

 able to examine the mouth parts at all well. . But, both from 

 above and below, they appear to be produced into a more or 

 less triangular tongue, with the labial jjalpi not very far from 

 its tip. The mouth parts are certainly not like those of any 

 other Australian Silphidae known to me, but as in its other 

 characters and general appearance the genus appears to belong 

 to the Silphidae, and, in addition, Mr. Blackburn has suggested 

 the probability of its belonging to that family, I am content 

 for the present to place it there. Amongst the Australian 

 genera it may be provisionally placed near Choleva. 



At least two of the species here described were taken in ants' 

 nests ; a third was taken in moss, but was probably there asso- 

 ciated with ants, as many were seen when picking over the 

 moss for insects. The fourth was probably also from an ants' 

 nest, although I have now no record as to how it was taken. 

 I know, however, that I paid very considerable attention to 

 ants' nests whilst at Karridale. 



