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XV. Notes on AustTalian and Tasmanian Cryptocephalides, 

 with Descri2')tions of Nciv SjJccics. By Arthur M. 

 Lea, F.E.S. 



[Read March 2nd, 1904.] 



Plates XXII, XXIII, XXIV, XXV and XXVI. 



There are in Australia few subfamilies of Coleoptera 

 in which so many genera have been proposed on such 

 slight grounds as in the Cryptocephalides. As a matter of 

 fact any one desiring to work at Australian Coleoptera, 

 of almost any family, would do well to note that the 

 genera have not the stability of the older characterized 

 European ones; and that, before describing new species, 

 it is often necessary to examine the descriptions of all 

 the species referred to a subfamily. Nor is this always 

 sufficient, for even many of the subfamilies (especially in 

 the Rhync]ioi)h.ord) are in very unsatisfactory condition. 



Dr. Baly,* in proposing several new genera and trying to 

 re-establish several others (regarded by some entomologists 

 as of sectional importance only), remarks on the loss of 

 time involved in wading through a mass of descriptions 

 that would be saved were the genera split up into smaller 

 ones. But it is not sufficient that the genera sliould be 

 split up into smaller ones only, but that if this is done 

 the genera should be founded on such characters as will 

 enable future workers to identify them without much 

 chance of misconception; and this is far from being the 

 case with the Australian Cfyptocephalides. Saunders and 

 Baly regarded the antennse and prothoracic margins as the 

 main distinguishing features, whilst Suffrian and Chapuis 

 relied mainly on the presternum; in consequence we have 

 many species which it is possible to refer to any of several 

 genera, whilst many closely allied species would be widely 

 separated no matter whether reliance was placed chiefly 

 on Chapuis or on Baly. The characters of genera must 

 indeed be regarded as very artificial when the male and 

 female have been referred to different genera, even some- 

 times by the same author. So far as the Australian 



* T. E. S., 1877, part 1, p. 23. 



TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1904. — PART IIL (SEPT.) 22 



