18 



apex, instead of rounded and subniedian ; on all three the head is no darker 

 than the prothorax, the subapical segment of abdomen is entirely, and the 

 apical segment partly black; but specimens of A. giiffuhts frequently vary in 

 colour of head and abdomen. 



AsTENUs iNDicus, Kraatz. 



I asked Mr. G. J. Arrow to kindly compare the types of A. aequalis, A. 

 pallidulus, and A. indiciis. In reply he wrote: "I have compared the types of 

 aequalis, Blackb. ; pallidulus, Woll ; and oculatus, Sharp, with a specimen from 

 Ceylon received from Kraatz as 6^. iiidicus, and I believe all to be the same." 



AsTENUS PECTINATUS, Fvl. Fig. 29. 



An apterous male, taken from rotting leaves on Mount Tambourine, has 

 such a remarkable comb on the under-surface of its abdomen that I think it is 

 either an immature specimen of this species (described originally as from 

 Sydney), or represents a variety of it; the comb is composed of about twenty 

 long, shining, black bristles, and extends across almost the entire width of the 

 antepenultimate segment. Its elytra are decidedly shorter than the prothorax, 

 their apical half is flavous, and the basal half slightly darker than the prothorax. 

 with the sides strongly rounded, and the comb-bearing segment is slightly in- 

 fuscated at the base of its upper-surface. The mandibles are much as I have 

 figured them for A. noctivagus. 



Astenus noctivagus, n. sp. Fig. 11. 



c? . Piceous-brown or black; mouth parts, mandibles, antennae, palpi, and 

 legs flavous, tips of elytra, and of most of the abdominal segments obscurely 

 flavous. Clothed with very minute ashen pubescence, sides of head and of 

 prothorax with a few stiff setae, sides and tip of abdomen with longer hairs. 



Head rather large ; with shallow reticulate punctures. Mandibles long 

 and acute, each about middle with a long acute tooth, which is itself dentate. 

 Antennae thin, none of the joints transverse. Prothorax dilated to near apex, 

 and then strongly narrowed to apex itself, which is narrower than base. Elytra 

 slightly longer than prothorax and conspicuously wader, angles gently rounded, 

 sides almost parallel ; with dense and sharply-defined punctures. Abdomen 

 Avith dense and small punctures, subapical segment triangularly notched at apex 

 of under-surface. Length, 3.5-4 mm. 



$ . Differs in having the head and prothorax somewhat smaller, and 

 abdomen not notched. 



Hah. — Queensland: Cairns, nine specimens obtained at lights (A. M. Lea) ; 

 New South Wales: Sydney (Dr. E. W. Ferguson). Type, I. 12402. 



Close to A. apicifiavus, but apex of elytra narrowly pale, instead of widely 

 flavous ; the pale portion being only about one-third that of apicifiavus, and 

 hardly more than that of the tips of the abdominal segments. On several 

 specimens the elytral suture is obscurely diluted with red. On several the head 

 and prothorax are almost black, on others they are of a more or less dingy 

 brown ; they are really opaque, but the elytra and abdomen are shining, although 

 the derm is partially concealed by the clothing. Ample wings are present. 



Astenus majorinus, n. sp. 



9- Black; mouth parts, mandibles, antennae, palpi, and legs flavous. 

 Clothed with very short ashen pubescence, the sides with a few stiff setae. 

 Length, 5.25-6.75 mm. 



Hah. — Queensland: Cairns district (A. M. Lea). Type, I. 12404. 



