Aiistralian and Tasmaiiian Cryptocephalides. 383 



the male is smaller and narrower, with the antennas con- 

 siderably stouter than in the female, and slightly longer 

 than the body (those of the female being shorter) ; it has 

 the under-surface in many places diluted with red, that of 

 the female being black, as in the type. The specimens 

 (probably females) described by Blackburn * from the 

 Northern Territory seem to be typical, except for very 

 slight differences in colour. 



Aporocera bicolor, Saund. 



There is a specimen from Port Darwin, in the Macleay 

 Museum, which is possibly a variety of this species; it 

 differs from Saunders' description in having the scutellum 

 (except at base) pallid, the elytra blackish-brown with a 

 slight greenish gloss and with (except at apex) narrow 

 pallid margins, the greater portion of the abdomen is black, 

 the legs are pallid except the tarsi and apices of tibiae. In 

 this specimen the scutellum (not mentioned by Saunders) 

 is triangular, rather strongly notched at base, and with a 

 small but distinct puncture close to apex. 



Brachycaulus ferrugineus, Fairm. 



var. Oncliosoma eioinffi, Saund. 

 „ ,, dorsalis, Saund. 



„ „ tasmanica, Saund. 



„ „ fovcicollis, Saund. 



„ „ rufcsccns, Saund. 



„ Gadimis verrucosus, Clip. 



This is a widely distributed and in many respects a very 

 variable species. The specimens before me vary in length 

 from 5 to 6 mm. in the males, and from bl to 7^ mm. 

 in the females. 



The most conspicuous feature of the species is the 

 presence of three velvety black (or brown) spots on the 

 prothorax, one median and two lateral (the latter usually 

 invisible from above) ; these spots are often surrounded by 

 pale rings, frequently the median one is not at all sharply 

 defined, and it is occasionally of a dull brown and distri- 

 buted over the tuberosities as well, so that (as a velvety 

 black spot) it may fairly be said to be absent ; the lateral 

 spots, however, are always distinct and are usually very 

 sharply defined, they are usually about half the size of the 



* P. L. S., N.S.W., 1888, p. 1474. 



