Australian and Tasmanian Malacodcrmidae. 57 



constricted in the middle, but an occasional specimen of 

 both the commoner forms may be obtained in which the 

 outline is almost continuous ; this naturally affects the 

 apparent width of the basal (and to a less extent of the 

 apical) areolets. 



In connection with, although not of, this species it is 

 curious to note that an almost parallel variation in colour 

 occurs with one of the Ocdcmeridae (Fseudoh/chus haemor- 

 rhoidalis, Fab.) frequently found in its company. 



Rah. Tasmania: Hobart, IVIount Wellington, Huon 

 River, Ulverstone, George's Bay, Sheffield; Victoria: 

 Monbulk, Dividing Range ; N.S. Wales : Forest Reefs, 

 Sydney, Blue Mountains, Mount Brown, Merimbula, Como, 

 Jenolan. 



Metriorrhynchus rhipidius, W. S. Macl. (Lycus), King's 

 Survey, II, 1827, App. p. 442 ; Lacord., Gen. Col., 

 IV, p. 297, note 1 ; Waterhouse, Trans. Ent. Soc. 

 Lond., 1877, p. 84. 



septemcavus, W. S. Macl. (Lycus), King's Survey, II, 

 1827, App. p. 442 ; Wat., Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 

 1877, p. 84. 



erythroiitemm, Er. (Forrostoma), Wiegm. Arch., 1842, 

 p. 144 ; Wat., Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1877, p. 74, 

 PI. I, figs. 1-5. 



gigas, Blackb., P. L. S., N.S.W., 1891, p. 524. 



Jiagellatus, Blackb., T. R. S., S.A., 1900, p. 53. 

 (Figs. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.) 



This species is the most widely distributed and abundant 

 of all the Australian Lycides, and may be taken from early 

 to late summer. It is frequently to be seen on Lei^tos'per- 

 mum, Kunzea, Eucalyptns and other blossoms in countless 

 thousands. 



Mr. Blackburn appeared to regard his gigas as distinct, 

 largely on account of its size, but I have specimens from 

 New South Wales and Queensland, as well as from Western 

 Australia, which agree not only in size * but in all other 

 details mentioned by him for gigas, and which I can only 

 regard as belonging to rldiyidius. So far as his statements 

 as to the shape of the flabella in Waterhouse's figure of 



* He gives the length of gigas as 7-9 lines, wliilst the type of 

 rhipidius is 19 mm. in length, and one before me measures 21 mm. 



