295 



meucing about the middle of the base and sloping a little towards 

 the suture, (c) a fascia-like mark about the middle of the disc not 

 nearly reaching either the suture or the lateral margin and pro- 

 duced a little towards the base of the elytra at its external end 

 (thus forming marks like L J), {d) an oval obliquely placed spot 

 about intermediate between the middle and the apex. The 

 markings are extremely like those of some forms of M. infricat'iy 

 Blackb., but that species has the prothorax very much less 

 coarsely punctured and narrowed (with only slightly arcuate 

 sides) from quite near the base to the apex. M. fnlyurans^ 

 Thoms. (from Tasmania), is also very similarly marked and 

 colored ; it is, however, considerably larger (long. 6 1.), and is 

 described as having the prothoracic vitta? black and the pro- 

 thorax "regulariter punctatus ;" M. Thomson's description is too 

 brief to indicate whether the pattern of the elytra bears more 

 than a general resemblance to that of the present species. 



The sculpture of the head and prothorax is almost exactly as 

 in M. rerna, Hope, but the sides of the prothorax are much more 

 strongly rounded than in that species. 



Central Australia ; MacDonnell Ranges ; in the collection of 

 C. French, Esq. 



J/, hicolor, sp. nov. Lfete viridis, capite prothoraceque cupreo- 

 tinctis, elytris totis igneo-cupreis ; subtus pilis brevibus 

 sparsis vestita ; capite piano confertim fortiter punctulato ; 

 prothorace quam longiori dimidio (postice quam antice vix 

 manifeste) latiori, sat fortiter sat crebre punctulato, obsolete 

 (ad latera magis distincte) trans versim rugato, lateribus vix 

 arcuatis ; scutello minuto ; elytris leviter sat crebre parum 

 jequaliter punctulatis, sat distincte 3-costatis, lateribus 

 postice (fere a medio) denticulatis. Long., of 1. ; lat., 2 1. 



A conspicuous species on account of its bright fiery-copper- 

 c(jlored elytra. It resembles M. nervosa, Boisd., compared with 

 which (apart from color) the head is smaller and less pubescent, 

 the prothorax is a little less strongly punctured, and has less 

 rounded sides, the elytra are not quite so strongly costate, the 

 scutellum is smaller, the underside is much less strongly punc- 

 tured, and the prosternum is declivous in front, with its anterior 

 margin much less thickened. 31. Sanndersi, Masters, is very 

 distinct by the apical spine of its elytra, and M. costifera, Thoms. 

 (which must be very close to Sanndersi) by the same character ; 

 Af. ruhromnrginrtta, Saund. (from N.W, Australia), is very 

 differently colored, and has four costfe on each elytron ; M. Iteta, 

 Saund., has the sides of the prothorax rounded, etc. ; M. Lathamij 

 Hope, has inter alia a very ditlerently-shaped prothorax. 



W. Australia ; in the collection of C. French, Esq. 



