366 Mr. A. M. Lea on the Blind Coleoptera 



it has not been taken more frequently must be put down 

 to its small size and to its habit of clinging to the under 

 surface of deeply buried stones, which in the ordinary 

 way would seldom be turned over in the search for insects. 

 We found it necessary in searching for it to kneel on the 

 ground and closely examine every inch of the surface of 

 the stones turned over, as the insects, although fairly 

 active when in motion, are not always ready to move, and 

 their minute size and dingy colour render them very incon- 

 spicuous. The stones favoured by them are nearly always 

 of fairly large size and are always deeply buried in damp 

 (but not wet) places, and it generally takes two men to 

 turn them over. 



The upper surface is clothed in sparse short pale 

 pubescence, but this is almost invisible, except from the 

 sides. The original figure is not a very good one. 



Some specimens taken at Watson's Bay appear to 

 represent a variety, as they differ from normal specimens 

 (in the company of which they were taken) in being 

 decidedly larger (much smaller than macleayi, however), 

 darker in colour, more parallel-sided, the cephalic impres- 

 sions less marked and the median line of the prothorax 

 more distinct. 



Illaphanus macleayi, n. sp. 



Pale testaceous, appendages still paler. Clothed with short and 

 very sparse pubescence • a long seta on each side of the prothorax 

 towards both apex and at base ; head with two setse on each side 

 behind antenna;. 



Head slightly longer than wide, obtusely longitudinally impressed 

 on each side of middle, sides from antenna; to base gently curved. 

 Antenna; extending to hind coxae, two basal joints stout, first almost 

 as long as second and third combined, second distinctly longer and 

 stouter than third, third to tenth more or less head-like, eleventh 

 slightly wider and about twice the length of tenth. Prothorax dis- 

 tinctly wider than head, not much wider than long, apex incurved to 

 its middle, sides rounded in front and slightly incurved to base, base 

 strongly bisinuate ; median line narrow and distinct ; impunctate. 

 Elytra distinctly wider than prothorax, more than twice as long as 

 wide, not quite covering tip of abdomen, sides gently diminishing in 

 width to base and rather more noticeably to apex, margins finely 

 channelled throughout, densely but obscurely punctate. Mesosternal 

 epimera wide. Legs strong ; front tibiae strongly dilated and deeply 



