28 GouDiE, Coleoptera of Xorlh-Weslci'ii Victoria. [v^!*^xxxv'il 



NOTES ON THE COLEOPTERA OF NORTH-WESTERN 



VICTORIA. 



Part VIII. 



By J. C. Goudii:. 



(Read before (he Field Nafuralisis' Chib of Victoria, \ 2th April, 1920.) 



5CARAB/eiD/E {continued). 



SuB-F.AMii V CETONIDES. 



2574. Chlorohapta {Schizoryhina) frontalis, Don. 



2583. TricJkutlax (Schizorrhina) philipsii, Schricb. 



2601. Diaphonia {Hemichnoodcs) mniszcchii, Jans. 



2605. Mctallcsihcs metallcsccns. White. 



2606. Pseudoclithria {Mctallesthcs) ruficornis, Wcstw. 



The Cctonidcs arc a favourite group with collectors, some 

 of them being amongst the most beautiful of Australian beetles. 

 Mr. Lea has published a fine monograph dealing with the group. 

 Writing of C. frontalis he says : — " This common and widely 

 distributed species is the most variable of all the Australian 

 Cetonides." It is black, with green and yellow markings on 

 the elytra and prothorax. It breeds in hollow trees, emerging 

 in the perfect state in January. 



T. philipsii. about the same size as the preceding (seven- 

 eighths of an inch), is a much rarer species. My single speci- 

 men, taken on the blossoms of a grey box tree, has the })ro- 

 thorax and scutcUum dark red. The five ridges on the elytra 

 are shining black, the grooves between clothed with short 

 greyish hairs. 



D. mniszcchii is a fine large beetle, up to ij inches in length, 

 of a pale straw colour, with a large dark trapeziform mark on 

 the prothorax. Mr. Lea remarks : --" The male of this fine 

 species (which occurs from the Mallee districts of Victoria to 

 the coast of Western Australia as far north as (ieraldton) may 

 be readily distinguished from all tlie Australian Cetonides by 

 the dense clothing of the i)\gidium and under surface and by 

 the deep impression occupying the greater portion of the 

 abdomen." About twelve years ago this species appeared in 

 fair numbers, feeding on the mallee lilossom. but lias not been 

 seen since. 



M. metallcsccns is black, with a metallic gl<jss. and is about 

 three-quarters of an inch long. 1 once saw a number of these; 

 beetles flying round the tops of a clump of the " Sand-hill " 

 or " Scrub " Pine, Callilris verrucosa, 'i'hey were- being iliasrd 

 and captured by several of the large and jxiwerful " Roblx r 

 Flies," Phellus glaiicns, but in every instance after being caught 

 and examined the beetles were released and flew away 

 apparently unhurt. 



P. nificornis i> a smaller and rare species. The iiead and 



