2 DESCIITI'TION OF AXTHICIDES OF AUSTRALIA, 



Sound, and would therefore deserve the name Australis, had not 

 the name Australasi(s been already appropriated to what appears 

 to be a far more local species. 



By far the greater number of the Australian species, as 

 indeed of the species from other parts of the world belong to the 

 typical genus AntMcus. M. de La Ferte-Senectere in his monograph 

 (which I have followed as closely as possible), has included no 

 less than 208 of this genera, out of 295 of the true Anthicidce. 

 The present paper adds 32 out of 48. 



I have not found it necessary to add to the number of genera, 

 though Antlucus abnormis might by some have been regarded as 

 entitled to the distinction. The structure of the tarsi in which its 

 greatest peculiarity consists is not always a safe guide to generic 

 affinities — as the late Mr. W. S. MacLeay has well shew^n. " I 

 have, however, found considerable difficulty in following M. 

 La Ferte-Senectere's divisions and sub-divisions of the genus 

 AntMcus. Some of the groups are no doubt very natural, but nob 

 others, himself being witness. 



Although small in size, yet there are few families which sur- 

 pass the Anthicidce in the beauty of colour, the elegance of form 

 or the rapidity of motion. I know of no Australian forms except 

 among the Buprestidee more richly painted than Aiitliicus niti- 

 dissimus, none more graceful in its shape than Mecynotarsus con- 

 color, more nimble in its movements than Forniicomus agilis. 

 Their natural habitat too may please the most fastidious. Most 

 of them live in flowers, whence the name of the family ; others are 

 found under wood in grass, especially of a dewy morning ; the 

 remarkable genus Mecynotarsus is found under debris in the 

 dried bed of the river Gawler ; and lastly many are captured 

 either flying at sunset, or on the tops of paling fences preparing 

 for flight. 



L PSEUDO-ANTHICITES. 



Genus I. Macrarthrius. La Ferte. 

 Macratria. Newman. 



Sp. 1. M. australis. 

 Ferrugineus pubescens ; thorace ad medium olivaceo, vix 



