406 Mr. A. M. Lea on- 



middle and sides of mesosternum, and on each side of base 

 of abdomen. 



Head not very long ; with dense and clearly defined, but 

 rather small punctures. Eyes rather large and coarsely 

 facetted. Rostrum about once and one-lialf the length of 

 prothorax, moderately curved, with rows of punctures 

 separated by fine ridges, more distinct behind than in front 

 of antennse. These inserted about one-third from apex of 

 rostrum. Prothorax small, lightly transverse, with rather 

 coarse punctures, in places transversely confluent. Elytra 

 strongly convex, about twice the width of prothorax, parallel- 

 sided to middle, and then rapidly diminishing in width to 

 apex ; with regular rows of rather large punctures, becoming 

 smaller posteriorly. Under surface Avith rather large, clearly 

 defined punctures. Femora stout, front lightly, middle 

 moderately, hind strongly and acutely dentate ; hind tibiae 

 dilated near lower apex. 



Length 2 mm. 



$ . Differs in having the rostrum somewhat shorter, with 

 ridges not continued in front of antennae, these somewhat 

 shorter, and the four front femora edentate. 



Ilah. Queensland : Kuranda. 



The eyes are rather coarsely facetted and the femora are 

 aberrant, so that the species was referred to Meriphus with 

 considerable hesitation ; its deep hlack colour (in some lights 

 the prothorax and elytra appear to have a vague bluish gloss) 

 and smooth shining elytra are also at variance with others 

 of the genus. Nevertheless, it probably should be treated 

 as an aberrant species of the genus. The spots of snowy 

 scales are very conspicuous. On a male and a female the 

 scape is conspicuously pale at the apex, on another female 

 it is of a dingy brown. 



Meriphus guttaius, Pasc. National Park, Illawarra. 



Meripherellus, gen. nov. 



Head short. Eyes large, subapproximate, and coarsely 

 tacetted. Other characters much as in Meriphus. 



In Blackburn's table of the Erirhinides, this genus could 

 be placed in the position of Ayestra (H. H. on p. 150) w^hich 

 has been transferred to theTychiides. The species described 

 1)elow in general appearance is much like a small Meriphus, 

 but the eyes forbid its being placed in that genus. 



Mei'ipherellus apicalis, sp. n. 

 ^ . Dark reddish brown ; apical third of elytra, antenna? 



