Australian and Tasmanian Malacodermidac. 165 



be close to the description of quiyiqueplagiatus* but is 

 larger, antennae, abdomen and prothoracic spot dififerently 

 coloured, etc. From the description of rugidipennis it 

 differs in being larger (6 as against 4-5 mm.), with a spot 

 on the 1st instead of the 2nd joint of antennae, and the 

 middle femora (as well as the anterior legs) in the male 

 partly pallid. 



Laius taksalis, n. sp. {Fiffs. 03, 74, 116, 147.) 



^. Flavous; basal half of head, scutellum, meso-metasternum, 

 apex of abdomen, four hinder coxae, tip of middle and apical half of 

 hind femora, four hinder tibiae (except at extreme apex) and tarsi, and 

 apical joint of palpi black ; seven terminal joints of antennae, front 

 tarsi and apex of tibiae more or less infuscate ; elytra with four 

 rather large purplish-blue spots ; one on each at base forming the 

 fourth of a circle and which does not quite touch the suture, and 

 extends on the side for about one-fourth its length, the other sub- 

 apical, subreniform in shape and touching the side but not the 

 suture. Elytra and legs rather densely clothed with short whitish 

 pubescence, intermingled with somewhat longer and darker hairs ; 

 elsewhere rather more sparsely clothed. 



Head smooth and impunctate or almost so ; a shining ridge ex- 

 tending (except for an interruption about one-third of its length) from 

 eye to eye. Antennae very short, two basal joints almost as long as 

 the others combined, 1st and 2nd joints strongly distorted and 

 inflated,! 1st longer than 2nd, ridged above, the ridge at its highest 

 suddenly curved round and descending almost at right angles to the 

 joint, 2nd very large, convex and very finely pubescent below, above 

 with three large and several smaller impressions, the surface between 

 appearing as more or less distinct tubercular elevations; 3rd-9th 

 globular, 10th moderately long but no thinner than 9th. Prothorax 

 moderately transverse, apex considerably wider than base, front 

 angles rounded, hind ones obsolete, feebly transversely impressed 

 towards base ; with small scattered punctures, no larger or denser 

 at sides than elsewhere. Scutellum rounded posteriorly and finely 

 punctate. Elytra parallel-sided to near apex, sides and suture 

 thickened, each with feeble traces of two elevated lines ; with very 

 dense and moderately small punctures, no sparser or smaller on 



* There are several other species before me which approach fairly 

 closely to the description of that species. 



t These two joints appear of different shapes according to the 

 directions they are viewed from. 



