245 



sat late), fascia lata ante medium, fascia augustiori post 

 medium, et apicem, purpureis aureo vel cupreo marginatis, 

 lateribus postice sat fortiter serratis ; subtus antice 

 fortiter postice sat subtiliter punctulata, abdominis seg- 

 mento ultimo apice obscuro. Long. 5f — 61. 

 Yar. Colore plus minusve aurato. 



This insect appears to be distinct from any previously des- 

 4?ribed. It is considerably smaller tban M. superha, with the 

 markings different, pvud the thorax much less contracted in 

 front, &c., &c. The anterior elytral fascia is of rather peculiar 

 form, being of a somewhat circular shape on each elytron, and 

 its curve scarcely quite touches either the suture or the lateral 

 margin ; its front edge is quite clear of the base of the elytra. 

 The South Australian Museum contains two specimens of 

 this insect ; one of ttem has no record of capture, the other 

 was taken by Mr. Tepper, at Dimboola, Victoria. 



jS'.B. — There is a specimen in the South Australian Museum 

 with markings, colours, and puncturation so absolutely identical 

 with the above that I hesitate to treat it as a distinct species, 

 although it is considerably smaller and narrower, and has the 

 thorax much more strongly contracted in front. It is labelled 

 ras taken at Gawler. 



JLT. speciosa, sp. nov. Sat angusta ; capite prothoraceque aureo- 

 viridibus, elytris auratis vel viridibus purpureo vel cyaneo 

 notatis; subtus cyanea, abdominis segmento ultimo cupreo, 

 antennis tarsisque obscuris ; capite leviter convexo, crebre 

 fortiuspunctulato,punctisrugis obscure conjunctis ; protho- 

 race quam longiori plus dimidio (ut 2i ad l|)latiori, antice 

 quam postice paullo (ut 2 ad 2^) angustiori, disco sparsim 

 subtilius ad latera fortius crebre punctulato, his transver- 

 sim rugatis, nonnullis exempli s linea dorsali l?evi, lateribus 

 sat fortiter rotundatis, margine anteriori et basali leviter 

 bisinuatis, angulis posticis acutis ; elytris obsolete striatis, 

 punctulatis (prope mediam suturam sparsim, ceteris 

 partibus sat crebre), ad latera transversim rugatis; margine 

 laterali postice, sutura (basi excepta), macula ante mediam 

 partem (suturse conjuncta), fascia pone medium et apice 

 purpureis vel cyaneis ; lateribus postice sat fortiter 

 serratis ; subtus antice subtilius, postice squamose, 

 sparsim punctulata. Long. 24 — 'Sfl., lat. 1 (vix) — IrV 1- 

 Var. a. Capite prothoraceque cyaneis. 

 A^ar. h. Segmento ultimo obscuro vix cupreo. 

 This seems to be a very distinct species. Its small size and 

 l^rightly-coloured markings together are almost enough to cha- 

 racterise it. The front of the purple colouring on the suture 

 •of the elytra expands into a large spot on either side (somewhat 



