Australian and Tasmanian Malacodermidac. 239 



Length to apex of elytra 21, of abdomen 4 mm. 

 5 . Differs in having the head with only two feeble impressions 

 in front, and a greater portion of its area black. 



Hah. N.S. Wales: Richmond River {A. M. Lea). 



The two specimens before me were previously identified 

 by me as the Carphurus apicalis of Macleay, with the de- 

 scription of which they closely agree, but the head of the 

 male is very differently sculptured from that of the male of 

 this species.* The impressions on the head of the male of 

 this species are trilobed posteriorly, the lateral channels are 

 longer, but not quite so wide as the median one, the hind 

 ends of all are level, but the front end of the median one 

 is almost exactly level with the middle of each eye, and is 

 there obscurely connected Avith the lateral ones ; in the 

 middle of its front portion is a short suddenly elevated 

 carina (this from some directions causes the head to appear 

 as if it had four longitudinal channels instead of only three), 

 the carina appearing as a prolongation of a frontal raised 

 space, the whole being shaped like a flask, of which the 

 carina is the neck, the resemblance to a flask being most 

 distinct from the back and from the sides obliquely. Seen 

 from the sides, the head appears to have a longitudinal 

 ridge, interrupted at its middle. 



In the table it would have been placed next to fuscitar- 

 sis, but the head is differently sculptured and the elytra 

 differently coloured. 



SUBFAMILY MELYRIDES. 



Genus DASYTES,f Payk., Faun. Suec, II, p. 156; Lacord., 

 Gen. Coleop., IV, p. 400. 



This genus is of world-wide distribution, but hitherto 

 only four species belonging to it have been recorded from 

 Australia, probably on account of the small size and obscure 

 colours of most of the species. I do not know any foreign 

 members of the genus, but the Australian species readily 

 fall into two sections (or perhaps genera). 



1. Of comparatively large size, flat bodied, with long 

 hair and with the presternum foveate. 



2. Of very small size, rather strongly convex and densely 



* See comments under apicalis. 



t For full synonymy of this genus see Lacordaire. 



