1916.] 55 



Talayka Champ. 



The type of Talaiira is Orchesia elongata Macl. (= orchesioides 

 Champ.), from Australia and Tasmania. The two species now added 

 agree very nearly with this insect, except that they have the elytra 

 distin(!tly striate, and the pectinate spurs of the intermediate and 

 posterior tibiae unequal in length, the upper one half the length of the 

 first tarsal joint. The slender antennae, serrate maxillary palpi, striate 

 elytra, notched intermediate and posterior tibiae, simple penultimate 

 joint to the posterior tarsi, connate prosternum and propleura, and 

 non-contiguous intermediate coxae, are chai-acters common to Serro- 

 paljms and Talayra, the latter being distinguishable by the long, 

 pectinate spurs of the posterior tibiae. The Chilean genus MaUocJiira 

 agrees with Talayra in having pectinate spurs, but differs from it in 

 various particulars. 



1. — Talayra sericafa, n. sp. 



Very elongate, narrow, somewhat flattened above, dull, clothed with 

 extremely fine, sericeous, greyish pubescence ; dark brown, paler beneath, the 

 antennae, month parts, and legs obscure testaceous ; above and beneath densely, 

 extremely minutely punctate, the metasternum and abdomen with scattered, 

 intermixed, slightly coarser punctures, the rather long ante-coxal portion of the 

 prosternu.m sparsely punctate. Antennae moderately long, slender, joint 2 

 short, 3 and those following long, svib-cylindi'ical, sub-equal in length. Pro- 

 thorax about as long as broad, arciiately narrowed anteriorly, the sides 

 sub-parallel at the base, and sharply margined to near the apex, the hind 

 angles rectangvdar, the base so feebly sinuate as to appear sub-truncate, and 

 with two oblique, deep, impuuctate foveae. Elytra very elongate, of the same 

 width as the prothorax, sub-parallel in their basal half and narrowing thence 

 to the apex, with numerous fine impressed lines on the disc and a complete 

 sutnral stria. Length 8h, breadth 14 mm. ( ^ ?.) 



Hah.: Tasmania (ex roll. F. Bates). 



One specimen. Narrower, flatter, and less cuneiform than 

 T. elonijata, the sculpture and pubescence much finer, the prothorax 

 longer, and with deep, oblique basal foveae, the elytra distinctly striate. 

 This species was not represented amongst the Tasmanian Melandryids 

 described by myself in 1895. It approaches Serropulpus, 



2. — Talayra africana, n. sp. 



Elongate, sub-fusiform, rather convex, slightly shining, iridescent in certain 

 lights ; dark brown, the antennae, palpi, and legs ferruginous or obscure ferru- 

 ginous ; densely, finely punctate, the rather long, ante-coxal portion of the pro- 

 sternum shining and a little more coarsely punctvired. Antennae moderately 



