158 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 



tliem is probably a PsaiDiiiodius and the rest probably belong to 

 either Ataenius or Saprosites. At present, then, there are, I 

 think, nine described Australian species which may be con- 

 fidently referred to Ataenius, and three which may be doubtfully 

 placed there. In the following pages I purpose describing 12 

 new species, and supplying some notes on the three of Macleay's 

 Ammoecii which can be confidently transferred to Ataenius, but 

 befoi'e passing to those descriptions and notes, it will be well to 

 make some remarks on the undeterminable species of Macleay's 

 Ammoecii and to furnish a table showing the distinctive 

 characters of the known Australian Ataenii. 



A. CRENATIPENNIS, Macl. 



In describing the insects he refers to Ammoecius, Macleay 

 does not mention characters that give any definite clue to their 

 generic position, such as the structure of the hind tibiae or of the 

 mesosternuni. One can therefore do little more than guess, 

 from the nature of such superficial characters as are mentioned, 

 in what genera they ought to be placed; unless one can see the 

 type or a specimen compared with the type by a thoroughly 

 reliable authority, or at least a specimen agreeing with the 

 scanty diagnosis and known to be from the original locality. As 

 I have none of those advantages in respect of A. crenatipennis I 

 can only say that the description reads like that of an Ataenius 

 which I cannot identify with any species before me. 



A. OCCIDKNTALIS, Macl. 



This is probably an Atoenius or a Saprosites. I incline to 

 deem it the latter. 



A. ELONGATULUS, Macl. 



Its author makes this species three times as long as wide, and 

 says that it is of "subcylindrical" form, that its surface is opaque 

 and its pronotum very thinly and finely punctulate. I have not, 

 to my knowledge, seen any species i-esembling it and cannot form 

 any definite opinion as to its genus. 



Tahle of Characters of the Australian Ataenii. 

 A. — Elytral sculpture consists of well raised 

 carinae separating granulate intervals. 



