284 



dentate in the middle distinguish this species at once from 

 all other Mctchidii known to me except tibialis, Blackb., and 

 rvgosipes, Blackb. 



Western Australia : Guarlbine. Given to me by Mr. 

 French. 



DYNASTIDES. 



PiMELOPUS. 



P. jjorcellKS, Er. A specimen taken on King Island must 

 certainly, I think, be attributed to this species. It agrees with 

 Erickson's description except in size, — being considerably 

 smaller than the type, — and in the prothorax being consider- 

 ably (not "scarcely") narrowed in front. The size is of lifctle 

 importance, since other species of the genus vary greatly in 

 this respect; and I am of opinion that Erickson was in error 

 in respect of the prothorax. In all the Pimelojn known to 

 me the actual front margin, owing to the front part of the 

 pronotum being very strongly declivous is not in sight from 

 certain points of view, and it is easy to place a specimen so 

 that the prothorax appears to be wide in front ; but if tho 

 prothorax be examined with the head towards the observer 

 the front margin is seen to be in reality much narrower than 

 the base. I cannot help thinking that this accounts for the 

 discrepancy between the King Island example and the descrip- 

 tion of P. yorceUus. If the front margin of the prothorax 

 were really ''scarcely" narrower than the base P. jjorcellvs 

 would, I think, stand alone in this respect among the Austra- 

 lian Di/nastides, — with the exception of a few species of the 

 very aberrant genus Cryptodus. The examination of a speci- 

 men so likely (on the ground of its habitat) to be the true 

 P. porceUus is of interest on account of my having (Tr.R.S., 

 S.A., 1887, p. 220) described as "P. porceUus, Er. (?)" a 

 species that is certainly not identical with this King Island 

 specimen. For this South Australian species I now propose 

 the name decipiens. Its female differs from the King Island 

 example (which is a female, as also was Erickson's type) prin- 

 cipally in the shape of the prothorax, which is very strongly 

 bisinuate at the base, so that the middle part appears as a 

 very well-defined lobe ; while in the King Island example the 

 bisinuation is very feeble making the base appear as an almost 

 continuous curve. The basal impressions of the pronotum are 

 in decipiens strongly marked and in the King Island example 

 very feeble. The striation of the elytra is notably stronger 

 in decipiens. 



The King Island specimen resembles P. duhiiis, Blackb. 

 in the form of the prothorax. And here I must call atten- 

 tion to an unfortunate oversight in my description of the 



