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VI. Catalogue of the Australian and Tasmanian Byrrhide ; 
with Descriptions of New Species. By ArtTour M. 
LxA, F.E.S., Government Entomologist, Tasmania. 
[Read March 6th, 1907.] 
THe Byrrhide are fairly numerous in Australia and 
Tasmania, although few species have been recorded thence. 
This is no doubt due to the small size and retiring habits 
of most of the species; and probably when moss and 
fallen leaves have been systematically examined in many 
parts of Australia, the number herein recorded will be 
more than trebled. “> 
MICROCH ATES. 
The Rev. T. Blackburn has recently described several 
species belonging to this genus and made remarks on 
others. The late Rev. R. L. King had previously remarked 
on the variation of species of the genus, and in all the 
species I have seen there is considerable variation in the 
size and clothing. In MZ. scoparius and sphxricus (and 
probably in others) the prothoracic fascicles have a decided 
tendency to degenerate into scattered sete, so that the 
prothorax is occasionally non-fasciculate ; the elytral sete 
and fascicles are also variable.* 
MICROCHETES AUSTRALIS, Boisd. (byrrhus, Boisd.), Voy. 
Ast. Col. p. 149; Blackb., Trans. R. Soc. S. Aust., 
1903, p. 174. 
Referred by Boisduval to Byrrhus, but evidently a 
Microchxtes. His description f is quite useless, as it would 
apply to every species of the genus, and without some 
definite information as to the type I think the name 
should be ignored. I wrote to Mons. Albert Bovie of 
Brussels about the type, but he informed me that it was 
* This to a certain extent may be accidental, as the scales and 
setze are liable to abrasion. Specimens are-also frequently heavily 
encrusted with mud, which is difficult to remove without at the 
same time injuring the clothing. 
+ “Niger, thorace elytrisque verrucosis.” 
TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1907.—PART I. (JUNE) 
