330 



subject to considérable altération with âge and spirits, etc. Some 

 females are very much stouter than others which in length are 

 exactly the same. The size ranges from 10 to 20 mill. 



Leptops spinosus Fhs. 

 {dumosus Fhs., hystricosus Fhs., dorsatus Pasc). 



I hâve previously (1) commented on this abundant Western 

 AustraUan species, especially asto its variation in length, clothing, 

 rostrum and prothorax, and the sexual difTerences, and hâve already 

 refered to dorsatus as one of its synonyms. In carefuUy checking 

 the descriptions again I hâve become convinced that dumosus and 

 hystricosus are also synonyms. 



The insect belongs to a group of small species characterised by a 

 comparatively smooth rostrum, the elytra with three séries of 

 tubercles (2) or spines, and a small subhumeral spine on each side. 



The différences that exist between a form densely covered with 

 grey scales and with the elytra rather feebly and sparsely tuber- 

 culate, and one (often much larger) sparsely clothed and with large 

 and often acute tubercles or spines, would seem too great to be 

 bridged by the forms of one species, but I hâve numerous inter- 

 mediate forms, and a form is fairly common in which the fifth 

 interstice is entirely without tubercles. 



Leptops robustus Oliv. {angustior Germ.) 



The form described by Germar was the maie. 



Hab. : W. Australia : King George's Sound; S. Australia. 



Leptops humer alis Germ. 



A maie given to me by M. Blackburn under this name does not 

 agrée very well with Germar's description, as it is smaller (5 3/4 as 

 against 7 1/4 German lines) than the type, and the elytra are 

 without costœ; but as each shoulder bas a very distinct spine 

 (recurved in my spécimen) and my spécimen in other respects 

 agrées with the description, it is probable that the type was a 

 female and the maie was unknown to Germar. I cannot fmd any 



(1) Traus Roy Soc. S. Auslr. 1903, p. 106. 



(2| Thèse are ou the third fifth aud seventh interstices, but are referred to by 

 Fahrseus as being on the second fourth aud sixth, as (lu commou with many 

 others) he did uot couut the suture. 



