15 



occurring in Australia)." In reply he wrote: "I can see no difference of any 

 importance." 



Paederus meyricki, Blackb. 



P. erichsoni, Bernh., n. pr. 



P. antipodum, Bernh. and Schub. 



The description of P. erichsoni agrees well with specimens of P. meyricki, 

 and a cotype from Bernhauer in the Western Australian Museum also agreed 

 Avith them. As erichsoni was previously used in Paederus, in the catalogue by 

 Bernhauer and Schubert the name was changed to antipodum. 



Paederus apteromelas, n. sp. 



Black ; elytra dark metallic-blue or green. Clothed with black pubescence, 

 interspersed with erect black hairs. 



Head moderately long; with conspicuous irregular punctures. Eyes 

 prominent. Antennae moderately long and thin, third joint slightly longer than 

 first, distinctly longer than fourth, and about twice the length of second, eleventh 

 pointed and slightly longer than tenth. Prothorax slightly longer than its greatest 

 width, which is near apex, front angles strongly rounded off, base truncate ; 

 punctures somewhat as on head. Elytra narrow at base, dilated to apex, where 

 the width is slightly more than head across eyes; with crowded and rather 

 large round punctures. Abdomen widest in middle ; punctures rather dense 

 but partially concealed. Legs rather long and thin. Length, 6.5-7.5 mm. 



Hab. — Western Australia: Swan River (J. Clark). Type, L 12041. 



An apterous species, structurally close to P. meyricki, but readily dis- 

 tinguished from that, and from all other named Australian species, by its black 

 prothorax. Most of the seven specimens sent by Mr. Clark have parts of the 

 under-surface of the basal joints of antennae obscurely reddish, and two also 

 have parts of the prosternum obscurely reddish. 



Paederus stenopterus, n. sp. 



c? . Black; mouth parts, basal joints of palpi, antennae (four or five 

 median joints deeply infuscated), prothorax, four basal segments of abdomen, 

 coxae, and base of femora more or less reddish or flavous, rest of legs moderately 

 or deeply infuscated. Upper-surface with straggling black hairs, but very 

 sparse on prothorax; elytra and abdomen with sparse inconspicuous 

 pubescence. 



Head fairly large ; with large irregularly-distributed punctures, almost 

 absent from a median space from between eyes to clypeus. Antennae rather 

 long, none of the joints transverse, third twice the length of second. Prothorax 

 strongly convex, strongly rounded in front, where the greatest width is almost 

 twice the width of base ; with a few scattered punctures. Elytra slightly longer 

 than prothorax, but considerably narrower than its greatest width, strongly 

 narrowed at base ; with large and somewhat crowded punctures. Abdomen 

 slightly dilated posteriorly, sixth segment largest of all ; with fairly large and 

 dense punctures near base of segments ; under-surface of subapical segment 

 deeply notched. Legs long and thin. Length, 6.5 mm. 



Hab. — Northern Queensland (Blackburn's collection). Type, L 12613. 



An apterous species, with antennae coloured much as in the winged P. 

 koebelei; of the other apterous species it differs in its partly pale abdomen, legs, 

 and antennae from P. meyricki, P. simsoni, and P. apteromelas ; P. sparsus is 

 a considerably larger species, with entirely dark abdomen, etc. A female 

 (South Johnstone River, H. W. Brown) that appears to belong to the species, 

 differs from the type in being larger (7 mm.), four basal segments of abdomen 



