( 319) 



Tlie curved apical bristle of the hiiidfemur is shorter than the bristle similarly 

 placed on the anterior legs. The outer side of tlie hindtibia is very hairy (tig. 6). 

 The first and third dorsal pairs of bristles situated on the tibia (counting from the 

 apex) are more than half the length of the tibia. The first segment of the 

 hindtarsus is only one-fourth shorter than the tibia. The stout apical bristle of this 

 segment does not reach to the middle of the second segment. The fourth tarsal 

 segment is short, measuring scarcely twice its own breadth. 



Modified Segments. — The eighth tergite (?) is augulate, bearing an irregular 

 series of apical bristles, and a further series of somewhat longer ones close to its 

 edge, besides two or three slender proximal bristles. 



Length, 3-4 mm. 



The type, a female, is unique, and was taken from iJm ferculinus Thos. on 

 Barrow Island, North-West Australia, in 1901, by J. Tunney, who was then 

 collecting for the Perth (West Australia) Museum. 



3. Stephanocircus minerva spec. nov. (PI. IX. fig. 0. 7.). 



The present species is closely allied to 5. -mars* but is abundantly distinct from 

 it, differing in the following characters. 



Head. — The posterior edge of the helmet-like portion of the head is densely 

 clothed with very short hairs. There are only five genal spines (fig. 6). 



Thorax. — The pronotal comb consists of twenty-five teeth. 



Abdomen. — The short triangular spines situated at the apical edges of the 

 first four abdominal tergites are much more numerous than in .S'. ma?-s. The first 

 segment bears 11 such spines on the two sides taken together; the second, 12 ; the 

 third and fourth, 9 each ; the fifth, 3 ; and the sixth, 2. 



Legs.— The femur of the present species lacks the row of lateral bristles on its 

 inner side. There are a number of bristles, however, sitnated near its apex. These 

 subapical bristles are fewer in number than those similarly placed in <S'. 7nars. In 

 .S'. mars the longest dorsal ajjical bristle of the hindtibia reaches to the apex of the 

 first tarsal segment ; in the present species this bristle is quite a third shorter 

 (fig. T). The corresponding bristle of the fore- and midtibiae are also much shorter 

 in the present species than in S. mats. The liindcoxa bears both in S. mars and in 

 this species a comb similar to that present in the genus Pulex. It may possibly be 

 of interest to note that in the Australian species t just described {S. thomasi) this 

 comli is absent. The coxae too are more elongate in S. thomasi. 



Modified Segments. — The eighth tergite (?) of the present species is more 

 rounded at the apex, and bears many more bristles than that of 6'. tnars. 



Length, 3'2 mm. 



We received two female specimens of this species from Mr. William Foster 

 taken from Didelphi/sazarae, near Sa])ucay, Paraguay, in 1901. 



4. Ceratopsylla insignis spec. nov. (PI. IX. fig. 8—12). 



Head. — The flaps of the head are not narrowed at tiieir api<:es. There is 

 a very long bristle situated on the hinder part of the head, immediately above 

 the anfeunal groove. Three short bristles, with a few more situated in front of 



• Nov. iJooL. V. p. r,H. t. 14. f. 11 ( ? ) (lKi)8). 



f 111 the Aii.stralinn Stepliaiuwiroitg dtiKi/nrar Skust:, this cotnb i.s iileo absent. We have one J of 

 iS. dani/urai' fournl at WiUiauis, West Australia, on Jii;/to/ii/iit j/mioiUata. 



