258 



already expressed the opinion) is of singularly slight value 

 among the Australian Sericoides. I refer to the vestiture of the 

 sterna, which in the first species described {vigilans, the typical 

 species I presume) are said to be "fere nuda," while in the 

 other species (Harti) they are called ''parum hirsuta." I 

 have before me specimens in good condition which are either 

 identical with the two species under discussion or extremely 

 close to them (see notes below), and I find that in one of those 

 species the sterna are almost without pilosity (more nearly 

 glabrous than I believe any Scifala to be when in fresh con- 

 dition), and in the other notably more pilose than in any 

 Scifala known to me. It is therefore quite possible, — inasmuch 

 as the pilosity in the Australian Sericoides certainly has its 

 distinctive types running through whole series of species that 

 are associated by other well-marked generic characters — that 

 whether Anodontonyx stand as a good genus or not, another 

 new generic name may eventually be considered desirable for 

 the species Dr. Sharp described as A. Harti, and for some 

 others closely allied to it, which are noted in the following 

 pages. 



In respect of the already described species attributable to 

 Anodontonyx, I think they have been described under eight 

 names (one of which, A. (Scifala) languida, Er., seems to be 

 merely a synonym of A. (Sericesthis) nigrolineata, Boisd.), 

 viz.. Dr. Sharp's two and the five that I have already indi- 

 cated under the heading of Scifala (above). To these I now 

 add nine additional. The following table will show charac- 

 ters by which the species of the genus may be identified. The 

 subsequent pages contain descriptions of the new species, and 

 notes on those previously named. The descriptions of three 

 species (A. vigilans, Shp., Harti, Shp., and rngosnla, Har.) do 

 not indicate characters that enable me to place those species 

 in my tabulation. 



A. Antennse consisting of only eight 

 joints. 

 B. Joint 2 of antennae more or less 

 globular, and considerably stouter 



than third joint. 

 C. Hind corners of pronotum not ex- 

 planate. Head non-pilose, un- 

 less on margin. 

 D. Prothorax at its widest not be- 

 hind middle. 

 E. Pronotum moderately closely 

 and not particularly finely 

 punctulate. 

 F. Prothorax quite (or all but) 

 twice as wide as long. 

 G. Dorsal surface not iri- 

 descent. 



