140 GovDlF., Xofes 0)7 file Colenp/nn of \.]V. Victoria. [vT.r'xxxi 



COLYDID^. 



The Colydidae are generally small, slender l^eetles with costate 

 elytra, living under the bark of trees or in ants' nests. The legs 

 being short and feeble, they creep about slowly as if crippled. 



Sparadus productits, Reitter 

 A sooty black species about 3 mm. in length. Elytra strongly 

 costate. The humeral angles of prothorax are produced into a 

 strong conical tooth. 



7951. Ditoma parva, Blackb. 



Similar in appearance and habits to preceding. 



D. villosa. Lea, Proc. R03'. Soc. Vic, xxiii. (new series), 

 part I, p. 209, plate xxvi., fig. 23. 



This is a small, reddish-brown beetle, 33 mm. in length, 

 covered with long, stragghng, yellowish hairs. The sides of 

 prothorax are strongly serrated, with the anterior angles 

 decidedly produced. Elytra having the margins finely serrated, 

 with close, regular rows of large punctures. Two specimens 

 taken in nests of Crematogaster Iceviceps, near Birchip. 



7955. Meryx equalis, Blackb. 



A rather uncommon species, found under logs or dry leaves. 

 The head and prothorax are reddish- brown, the elytra 

 mottled chocolate-brown. It is about j- of an inch in length. 



1803. Deretaphrus ignarius, Pasc. 



An elongate, parrallel -sided insect, vam. in length, dark 

 brown or nearly black. Antennre and legs short. The 

 prothorax is narrowed to liase, strongly punctate, with a deep 

 median groove not quite reaching to a])ex. Elytra strongly 

 costate. It occurs under bark, and is often found in the old 

 tunnels of longicorn beetles. 



7968. Bothrideres tibialis, Blackb. 



7969. B. variabilis, Blackb. 



These are very like Deretaphrus on a small scale (3.5 mm.), 

 with similar habits, but instead of the median sulcus there is a 

 deep fovea near the base of prothorax. 



Kershawia rugiceps. Lea, I.e., xxii. (new series), part 2, 

 p. 329, plate xxvii., fig. 6. 



This is one of the novelties found living in ants' nests, for 

 which a new genus was formed, and which so far contains but 

 the one species. It is of a rusty-brown colour, 3J-4 mm. long. 

 The antenna are short, moniliform. last joint largest and 

 truncate at apex. The head, prothorax, and elytra, in addition 

 to being roughly punctate, are strongly carinate, and the tibiae 

 widely dilated. Taken at Birchip and Sea Lake, in nests of 

 Iridomyrmex nitidus 



