131 



further elucidation, but I think it most probable that Lea's name 

 will stand. 



P. ohscurus, Pasc. This name seems to be without doubt a 

 mere synonym of P. fuliginosu'^, Er. The two descriptions are 

 almost in the same words. Pascoe must have overlooked Erick- 

 son's species, since if he had known it he could hardly have 

 omitted to specify the characters by which he considered his 

 species to differ from it. I have taken in Tasmania (Erickson's 

 locality) and Victoria (Pascoe's locality) numerous examples 

 which are evidently of but one species and which agree well with 

 both descriptions. The pronotum varies slightly in the distinct- 

 ness of its dorsal impressions and also in the sinuation of its 

 sides, but the variations seem to occur equally among Tasmanian 

 and Victorian specimens. I think this synonymy has not been 

 previously noted. 



P. rohusticollis, sp. nov. Minus angustus; minus nitidus ; 

 sparsissime vix perspicue pubescens ; nin:ro-piceus ; capite 

 crebre rugulose subgrosse punctulato, antice profunde 

 bifoveolato ; antennis crassis brevibus ; prothorace leviter 

 transverso, supra ut caput (quam P. fidiginosi, Er., multo 

 magis profunde) punctulato, fovea magna subquadrata pro- 

 funda (hac intus certo adspectu bifida) impresso, postice 

 leviter angustato, lateribus sat rectis, angulis anticis promi- 

 nentibus sat acutis posticis obtusis bene determinatis, 

 margine antico fortiter sinuato ; elytris fortiter crenato- 

 striatis, interstitiis planatis seriatim punctulatis. Long., 

 2i 1.; lat., I 1. 

 This species is near P. fuUginosus, Er., but very distinct from 

 it, differing inter alia by its very evidently stouter antennae, its 

 prothorax distinctly wider than long and having obtuse hind 

 angles, its head and pronotum much more deeply punctulate. 

 The dorsal excavation of its pronotum is considerably deeper and 

 more defined than that of any example I have seen of 

 P, fuliginosus, Er. Viewed obliquely from behind, the excava- 

 tion has much the appearance of the front excavation of 

 BotJirideres equinus, Pasc; viewed obliquely from in front it is 

 seen to be divided into . two sulci by a longitudinal convexity. 

 Behind the middle of the base of the excavation is a shining 

 unpunctured space much larger than that in any specimen that I 

 have seen of fuliginosus. 

 Victoria. 



P. interstitialis, sp. nov. Modice angustus ; sat opacus ; spar- 

 sissime vix perspicue pubescens; piceus, antennis pedibusque 

 nonnihil rufescentibus ; capite sat crebre sat rugulose nee 

 profunde (ut P, fuliginosi, Er.) punctulato, antice profunde 

 bifoveolato ; antennis minus crassis (quam fuliginosi graci- 

 lioribus) ; prothorace quam latiori vix longiori, supra fere 



