95 



precaution of saying that the following species placed in this 

 genus are, no doubt, congeneric with L. britnneus^ Er. That 

 insect is, unfortunately, not very minutely described by its 

 author ; I do not think, however, that any of tlie species de- 

 scribed below can be identical with it, L. alternans is the one 

 that comes nearest to it, but it does not seem likely that if 

 Erichson had had that insect before him he could have failed to 

 mention the conspicuous sculpture of its alternate interstices. 



LITOCHRUS. 



L. Ijvticuhis, sp. nov. Breviter ovalis ; postice vix angustatus ; 



nitidus ; niger ; capite antice, elytrorum apice et utrinque 



macula magna discoidali, antennis, palpis, pi'othorace lateri- 



bus, corpore subtus et pedibus rufo-testaceis ; capite pro- 



thoraceque vix perspicue punctulatis ; elytris vix striatis, 



striis interstitiisque subtilissime punctulatis. Long., 1 1. ; 



lat., I 1. 



The pale markings on the elytra consist of a wide curved blotch 



commencing on either shoulder and proceeding towards the 



suture and almost touching it at the middle of its length ; the 



pale apex of the elytra is produced forward on either side in such 



fashion that it almost touches the exterior hind corner of the 



discal ])lotch. The pale colouring occupies almost as much area 



;is the black ; the latter forms a large triangle, the base of which 



is the base of the elytra, and its apex is produced narrowly down 



the suture to about the middle where it dilates into a large 



Ijlotch ; there is also a large black space on either side, which is 



continuous along the base with the black of the suture. 



Victoria ; Alpine district. 

 L. Palmerstoni, sp. nov. Breviter ovalis ; postice leviter angus- 

 tatus ; niticlus ; ferrugineus ; antennis, palpis, elytrorum 

 apice, pedibus, et corpore subtus, testaceis ; vix perspicue 

 punctulatus; elytris vix striatis. Long, -^- 1. (vix); lat., ^ 1. 

 This minute insect appears to be a typical Litochrns. Its uni- 

 form ferruginous colour, with the apex of the elytra pale tes- 

 taceous, and almost impunctulate surface, will, T think, distinguish 

 it from all its described congeners. 



N. Territory of S. Australia ; near Palmerston. 

 L. aUernan>^, sp. nov. Ovalis, postice attenuatus ; nitidus ; 

 supra lividus, hie illic infuscatus, cceruleo-iridescens, an- 

 tennis palpis pedibus et corpore subtus testaceis ; capite pro- 

 thoracecjue subtilissime crebre punctulatis, hoc puncturis 

 nonnullis majoribus hie illic impresso ; elytris, vix striatis, 

 striis puncturis minutissimis sat crebre impi'essis, interstitiis 

 alternis subhevibus et puncturis sat magnis sei'iatiin sparsim 

 instructis. Long., 1^1. ; lat., i 1. 



