Australian Gistelidae. 55 



5 Legs red, seriate punctures smaller and round I'iresoens, Boisd 



6 8 Prothorax black, elytra metallic, legs dark 



7*. Elytral intervals coarsely rugose punctate rugnsidus, Macl 



8 Elytral intervals very lightly punctate cyunrus, Macl 



9 Prothorax red with central black vitta vitticollis, Macl 



10 14 Prothorax red, without black vitta 



11 Head red (except in var. of ruficollis) 



12 Pro not um densely punctate, elytra reddish flavipe.s, Mad 



13 Pronotum sparsely punctate, elytra blue rufioollis, Macl 



14 Head black, elytra red atriceps, n.sp. 



Pascoe long since pointed out that Lacordaire's generic term 

 Atractus was preoccupied, and proposed the name Aethyssius (Jour. 

 Ent., 1863, p. 45). It is difficult to see any reason for Herr Borch- 

 mann's proposal of neo-atractus (Deutsch Ent., Zeihschr, 1909. 

 p. 713), as well as the placing of Aethyssius merely as a sub-genus in 

 the new catalogue of Junk, both very needless complications. 



The species of Aethyssius are often closeiy related, vaguely 

 described, and not easy to tabulate except by colour distinction, 

 winch may prove misleading. Boisduval unfortunately described 

 three, which, Lacordaire notes, might well be varieties of the same 

 species. That viridis and columbinus are merely colour variations 

 admits of little doubt, the latter being purple or violet, the former 

 (the more common), green or golden. It is a very common insect, 

 ranging from South Australia to Queensland, found on the flowers 

 of leptospermum in early summer in countless numbers. Like all 

 common insects, it is subject to great variations in colour and size. 

 Specimens w r ith red legs cannot be otherwise distinguished from the 

 typical viridis (with dark or metallic legs), while a Queensland 

 variety (generally purple or violet above) has the whole underside 

 and legs red, and would be considered by some writers as a 

 distinct species. It may he named viridis var. rubriventris. I 

 have specimens that vary in size from 8 x 2.5 mm. to 15 x 4.5 mm. 

 The pronotum is only lightly and sparsely punctured, the elytra 

 has series of large transverse punctures, separated by sub-caneellate 

 ridges, the intervals being sparsely punctured and more, or less 

 wrinkled. 



Ae virescens, Boisd., is quite distinct, and constant in colour — so 

 far as I have seen — with quite a different elytral sculpture, the 

 intervals more nitid, not wrinkled, the seriate-punctures smaller. 

 The elytra are dark green, legs clear red, abdomen black, or very 

 dark metallic. 



Ae. eras, Pasc, is common in the Blue Mountains, and other 

 inland districts of New South Wales. It differs from viridis Boisd., 



