Australian and Tasmanian Malacodermidae. 233 

 Helcogaster tropicus, n. sp. 



(J . Colour as in the preceding species except that rather less of 

 the base of the head is black, that its under surface is somewhat 

 obscure, and that more of the four front tibiae are diluted with 

 testaceous. The head is somewhat similarly sculptured but the 

 median sinus is much wider the median elevation shorter (so as 

 not to appear elevated above the rest when the head is viewed 

 from behind) and obtusely conical, the frontal tubercle present 

 (but still very concave), and its sides marked by subtubercular 

 elevations instead of ridges. The antennae are somewhat thinner 

 and the front tarsi are stouter. 



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



Hah. Queensland : Cairns (type in Macleay Museum). 



Seen from behind the head appears to have a small 

 tubercle close to each eye and an obtuse median one, on 

 making the range of view more oblique the median tubercle 

 appears to divide into three — a rounded one, on each side 

 of which is a small subcorneal one. The median sinus of 

 the head occupies about two-thirds of the space between 

 the eyes, whilst in the preceding species it occupies only 

 about half the space. There are two males before me. 



Helcogaster nigriceps, n. sp. 



^ . Deep black, elytra with a bluish gloss ; prothorax and two 

 basal joints of antennae reddish-flavous ; parts of coxae and tro- 

 chanters, base of front femora, and the extreme sides of basal 

 segments of abdomen obscure reddish-brown. 



Head densely punctate, the sides transversely strigose ; largely 

 and deeply excavated between eyes, in middle with a small sub- 

 conical tubercle. Antennae not very long, just passing middle coxae. 

 Prothorax scarcely longer than wide, sides strongly rounded, base 

 feebly impressed. Elytra more dilated towards apex than usual ; 

 with small but moderately distinct punctures. Basal joint of front 

 tarsi about half their total length, rounded, and with a deep black 

 inner rim. 



Length to apex of elytra 2i, of abdomen 3| mm. 



Hah. N. S. Wales : Nowra (type in Macleay Museum). 



The entirely dark head distinguishes from T-tuherculatus, 

 tropicus, and the others having the cephalic impression 

 trisinuate posteriorly; the median elevation is shaped 

 somewhat as in T-tuheoxuIatus but is below instead of 



