224 Mr. Arthur M. Lea's Revision of the 



Helcogaster basirufus, n. sp. 



^. Black ; apical half of head, prothorax (a large transverse 

 subapical blotch black and prosternum tipped in front with black), 

 front tibiae, parts of front femora and tarsi, and two basal joints 

 of antennae reddish- flavous; apex of antennae, four hind knees 

 and parts of middle tarsi obscure testaceous. 



Head subelongate; with distinct scattered punctures and with 

 longitudinal and oblique excavations and elevations at the middle 

 phase. Antennae extending to middle legs. ProtJiorax slightly- 

 longer than wide, apex very feebly lilobed and base feebly trans- 

 versely impressed. Elytra with a few scattered and indistinct 

 punctures. Basal joint of front tarsi less than half their total 

 length, but rather strongly inflated, rounded, and with a black 

 inner rim. 



Length to apex of elytra 3, of abdomen 5 mm. 



Rah. W. Australia : Geraldton (A. M. Lea). 



The colour of the prothorax is somewhat after the style 

 of parcdlclus (the black patch does not quite extend to the 

 extreme apex or sides, however), but the sculpture of the 

 head is totally different, both from that species and from 

 any other here recorded. In the middle of the head is a 

 longitudinal carina about one third of its total length, 

 between this and each eye is a narrow curved carina 

 and close to each eye another but less distinct one, the 

 spaces between being more or less deeply excavated ; of 

 the excavations the largest ones are the lateral ; each of 

 these runs to a point at the front end of each eye, but 

 posteriorly widens out so that the two become united ; 

 marking the position of their junction is a small impres- 

 sion connecting them with the median ones. Seen from 

 behind the head appears to have three small median sub- 

 conical tubei'cles. The two basal joints of antennae are 

 distinctly paler than the following ones, the three next 

 being very dark, the succeeding joints then gradually 

 become paler but the apical joint is darker than the basal 

 ones. In one of the two specimens before me the front 

 tibiae are slightly infuscate in middle. 



Helcogaster punctipennis, n. sp. 



(J . Flavous ; apical half of elytra purplish-black, six apical 

 joints of antennae and tij) of abdomen black; metasternum more 

 or less infuscate. 



