34 



Female usually like the male, both sexes varving a little in the 

 markings. 



Hab. Australia ; very abundant in middle Queensland. 

 DKYINIDAE. 



Harpagocryptus gen. nov. 



Head transverse in dorsal aspect, produced in the middle in front, 

 large, wider than the thorax; the occiput arcuately emarginate; ocelli 

 very feebly developed, the anterior one almost or entirely aborted. 

 Antennae twelve-jointed, elongate, filiform, all the joints long, except- 

 ing the small pedicel. Mandibles pointed at the tips to form a large 

 acute tooth, internal to which are three very minute teeth on the edge. 

 Maxillary palpi long, six-jointed, the first joint short and stoutish, the 

 second very elongate, twice as long as the first, slender at the base, 

 clavate; third shorter than second, moderately stout, subparallel-sided; 

 fourth, fifth and sixth slender, elongate, subequal. Labial palpi four- 

 jointed, the first elongate, second short and wide, subtriangular in 

 some aspects, third and fourth -ilongate, slender, subequal. Labrum 

 distinct, clypeus well-defined. Prothorax large and long, narrowed 

 posteriorly, and there emarginate; mesothorax very small, tongue- 

 shaped; tegulae distinct, front wings narrow, strap-like, reaching to 

 the posterior face of the propodeura, hind wings wanting. Propodeum 

 very long, its superior posterior angles produced into a strong acute 

 tooth on each side. Front femora very stout, intermediate less strong- 

 ly so, claws short, stout, pulvilli large, tarsi densely pubescent beneath. 

 Abdomen elongate ovate, second segment much the longest. 



The general appearance of this insect is ant-like in the ex- 

 treme and it would almost certainly be passed by in the field, 

 by any one, who was not collecting ants. 



Harpagocryptus australioe sp. nov. 



Black or blackish fuscous, clypeus, labrum, mouth parts, mandibles 

 except the teeth, antennae except several of the apical joints, and the 

 extreme apices of the other flagellar joints, the front and middle tarsi 

 excepting the claw-joints, brownish yellow or testaceous. All the coxae 

 and trochanters in part at least, and the front tibiae more or less brown- 

 ish yellow, rest of legs darker, brown or pitchy. Tegulae pale test- 

 aceous. 



Whole insect clothed with a whitish-fuscous pile and having an 

 excessively minute and dense sculpture, which under high powers o'f 

 the compound microscope appears as a dense reticulation of fine lines. 

 Scutum and scutellum of mesonotum distinguishable in certain aspects, 

 and of about equal length. Calcaria of middle tibiae of about equal 

 length, half as long as the first tarsal joint, which is nearly twice as 

 long as the elongate second one. 



The antennae are long and slender, much longer than the head 

 and thorax together, the scape is stout and about as long as the first 

 funicle joint, which is decidedly shorter than the next, while those 

 following are all subequally elongate, many times as long as thick. 



