BUPBBBTID GENUS ASTBAEU8. 105 



coarsely at the sides; hairy. Elytia gradually narrowed towards 

 the top, apices rather strongly divergent, suturai and lateral spines 

 long and acute, the humeral fold moderately large and acutely 

 produced; costate, interstices plain, feebly transversely wrinkled, 

 each with a row of distant punctures. Underneath coarsely punctate, 

 the abdomen more shallowly ; clothed with an extremely delicate 

 silvery pile. 



Variability. The second suturai spot is often confluent with 

 the humeral spot, effecting a transverse band (var. sub/asciatus m.). 



Number of specimens examined : thirteen , in coll. Oberlhür and 

 van de Poll. 



17. Astraeus dilutipes v. d. Poll. — nov. spec. 



Astraeus Saniouelli Saund. , var. dilutipes v. d. Poll , Not. 

 from the Leyd. Mus., VIII (1886), p. 180 footnote. 



Elong atus , nitidus; sujìra atro-coeruleus , violaceo-infernitefis , 

 capite protlioraceque viridi-aenescentibus j elytris singulis maculis 

 quintenis ßavis ornatis; subtus viridi-aenens , ci/aneo- vel violaceo- 

 internitens , pedibus prorsus testaceis , tarsis sub-nigrescentihts. Caput 

 fortiter punctatum, in fronts linea elevata glabra. Prothorax con- 

 vexîfs, lateribus apicem versus rotimdato-ang'ustatis j fortiter aequa- 

 literque ptmctatus, in medio impressione laevi longitudinali. Elytra 

 costata, interstitiis plants, leviter jmnctatis et plicatis; apicibus 

 valde divergentibus , spinis snturalibus marginalibusqtie validis , acutis. 

 Pars infera confertim punctata, subtilius in abdomine. Omnino, 

 elytris exceptis, pubescentia minutissima sericea tecta. 



Long. 8| — 10 mm., lat. 3 — 4 mm. 



Habitat: N. S. Wales, Wide-Bay. 



Shining, head aeneous-green with purplish retlections in front 

 and on the vertex in the female; golden green with the vertex 

 purple-brown in the male. Prothorax dark aeneous-green mingled 

 with purplish-brown, chiefly at the sides, in the female; in the 

 male the thorax is divided in a transverse direction by an angular 

 AA -shaped line , the greater basal part being obscure bronzy-green , 

 the smaller upperpart golden-green , whilst the line of demarcation 



