Australian and Tasmanian Gryptocephalides. 331 



The synonymy is very intricate owing to the great 

 variation in many species, both sexually and individually, 

 and to the trivial distinctions which have been considered 

 sufficient to separate the genera and subgenera. For- 

 tunately Mr. George Masters, to whom I am especially 

 indebted, and from whom either directly or indirectly a 

 large proportion of the previously described species were 

 obtained, including many by Chapuis, has for many years 

 carefully preserved specimens obtained in copula, and of 

 these I have had access to all those in his own and the 

 Macleay Museum collections (now amalgamated). I have 

 also myself for about fifteen years paid particular attention 

 to specimens obtained in copula. 



I have probably had before me a much larger collection, 

 both of species and specimens, of Australian Gryptocephalicles 

 than any previous entomologist ; even with this advantage 

 I have not considered it advisable to attempt to apportion 

 the previously described species into genera, preferring to 

 refer to them by the genus in which they were originally 

 placed,* as I do not believe that stable genera can be de- 

 fined and maintained. To refer them all to Cryptoceplialus 

 (as with few exceptions I think they should be) would 

 necessitate a number of names being changed through 

 having been twice used. 



The Australian genera and subgenera here dealt with 

 are : — A^wrocera, Brachycaidus, Cadmus, Cliariderma, Cldoro- 

 plisma, Cryptoccphalus, Cyphodera, Diandichus, Diccnopsis, 

 Eupliyma, Idioccphala, Lachnahothra, Loxopleurus, Mito- 

 cera, OclirosoiJsis, Odontodercs, Onchosoma, Paracadmtis, 

 Paracepliala, Prasonotus, Priono2Jle^cra, PhoonJjosternus and 

 Schizostcrmis. I have not only checked the descriptions 

 of all the species f referred to these genera, but of all 

 other species of the subfamily recorded from Australia 

 and Tasmania. 



In general, so far as the new species are concerned, 

 where the hinder apex of the intercoxal process of pro- 

 sternum is feebly or moderately bilobed, I have referred 

 the species to Oryptocephahcs ; where it is semicircularly 



* Except in the case of Lachnahotlira braccata, Klug, originally 

 referred to Chlamys with a query, and Gryptocephahis crassicornis, 

 Chp., again formally described, but now referred to Schizosternus. 



t I have not seen the description of Gryptocephalus laevicolUs, 

 Gebler, and its variety arennensis, Weise ; nor have I seen the 

 description of axillaris, Sturm, given in Masters' Catalogue as a 

 synonym of eleyans, Saund. 



