243 
having a deep excavation in the male, and with the external 
margin of the front tibie entirely without teeth in the same sex. 
The following is a tabulation of the species known to me of 
this genus. C. levipes I have placed on the strength of characters 
furnished by Burmeister’s description. Of C. melius I have little 
doubt that I possess an example (from Tasmania), but it is a 
female, and moreover disagrees with the description in having a 
shght impression on its prothorax ; it is better therefore not to 
risk confusion of synonymy by treating this identification as 
reliable, and the description (taken alone) is not detailed enough 
to enable me to point out distinctive characters. Neither of Sir 
W. Macleay’s descriptions furnishes sufficient information for 
placing the species referred to in a tabulation, although (as 
already pointed out) characters are mentioned that satisfy me I 
have not seen the insects. 
A. Base of the prothorax distinctly margined all 
across, scarcely obsoletely even in the middle. 
B. Two excavations on the prothorax (one behind 
the other, each preceded by a tubercle). 
C. Prothorax very sparsely punctulate ... bifossus, Blackb. 
CC. Prothorax closely punctulate ... accedens, Blackb. 
BB. Prothorax with only one excavation and one 
tubercle. 
©. Prothorax closely evenly and strongly punct- 
ulate ... compactus, Blackb. 
CC. Prothorax much more sparsely and finely 
punctulate ... juvencus, Burm. 
CCC. Prothorax closely punctulate in front, 
leevigate across the basal part... levipes, Burm. 
AA. Base of prothorax unmargined except close to 
the hind angles. 
B. Prothorax closely and strongly punctulate ... datipes, Guér. 
BB. Prothorax very ‘Lae and Are Sheee 
ate... pygmeus, Blackb. 
Regarding the statements & Barone ana Erichson that the 
females of C. juvencus and C. melius have no prothoracic im- 
pression, | may say that having examined a considerable number 
of females of this genus I have not seen one in which there is no 
trace of a prothoracic impression, and I am of opinion that the 
statements referred to are incorrect, their authors having either 
passed over a very slight impression as undeserving of mention 
or mistaken a female DE another genus (¢.g., Novapus or Lsodon) 
for a Cheiroplatys. Ihave invariably found that the female re- 
produces the prothoracic characters of the male in a modified 
form, e.g., when the male has two strong excavations and two 
strong tubercles the female has two light impressions and two 
very small tubercles. 
C. bifossus, sp. nov. Mas. Late subovatus; modice nitidus ; 
colore variabilis (nigropiceus, vel brunneus) ; clypeo trans. 
versim ruguloso, antice truncato, marginibus erectis nec 
