356 



MALACODERMIDAE. 



Laius ductus, Redt. Hypattalus mimttus, Lea. 



Dasyfcs fuscipennis, Hope. 



CLERIDAE. 



Necrohia rufipcs, De Geer. 



PTINIDAE. 



Pitnus*^'^^ australiae, n. sp. 



PI. xxxi., fig. 2. 



Black. Clothed with rather stout, subdepressed, white setae, on the elytra 

 confined to a regular row on each interstice. 



Head directed downwards and invisible from above. Eyes small and pro- 

 minent. Antennae eight-jointed, first and eighth rather large, the others small, 

 the eighth appearing as a conspicuous one-jointed club. Prothorax subopaque, 

 slightly transverse, base and apex subequal, sides strongly rounded, punctures 

 rather ill-defined. Elytra subelliptic, strongly convex, shoulders strongly 

 rounded, median width fully twice that of prothorax ; with rows of large, sub- 

 quadrate, approximate punctures, the interstices narrow and indented by punc- 

 tures. Abdomen with second segment large, its suture with first distinct at 

 sides, but inconspicuous in middle, third and fourth small and curved, the fourth 

 almost semicircularly enclosing the fifth. Legs rather thin. Length, 1-L75 mm. 



The diagnosis of Pit n us, and the description of the only then ki'iown species 

 (P. pygmaeus) from Central America, are very brief, but the details given and 

 the figure "^^^ represent an insect so greatly resembling the one before me that I 

 think it must belong to the same genus. The Australian species has but eight 

 joints to its antennae, the Central American one has nine (in the figure ten are 

 shown, but this was noted as an error). Eour specimens were obtained on 

 Pearson Island, but the species occurs in abundance on saltbushes (Atriplcx spp.) 

 growing near beaches in South Australia (Kangaroo Island, A. H. Elston ; 

 Sleaford Bay, Rev. T. Blackburn) and Western Australia (Swan River, J. 

 Clark and A. M. Lea; Geraldton, T. Hooper and Lea; and Pelsart Island, 

 Lea). The specimens from Pelsart Island and some from the Swan River are 

 decidedly smaller than the others, but, apart from size, I can find no diflferences 

 between them and the larger ones. Wings are completely absent. 



t\^o^^\\>'^ Pronus, n. gen. ' 



Head rather large, projecting downwards and quite concealed from above ; 

 under-surface with a shallow depression between bases of eyes, but not bisinuate. 

 Eyes moderately large, round, and with facets of moderate size or small. 

 Antennae eleven- jointed, first joint large, the next seven small, the others forming 

 a large, loosely compacted club. Palpi with apical joint wide and incurved at 

 apex. Prothorax with base bisinuate. Scutellum distinct. Elytra striate or 

 striate-punctate. Prosternum with middle normally concealed by head, with 

 triangular side-pieces facing backwards ; with grooves for reception of sides of 

 head. Mesosternum very short, vertical in middle. Metasternum moderately 

 long, side pieces distinct throughout. Abdomen composed of five distinct seg- 

 ments. Legs not capable of being received in special cavities ; front coxae 

 strongly projecting, pressed backwards, their tips in contact, hind coxae moder- 

 ately separated, their sides touching elytra, grooved for partial reception of 

 femora, all tarsi short, basal joint about as long as two following combined. 



(2) Gorham, Biol. Cent. Am., Col., iii., Part 2, p. 197. 



(3) L.c, pi. 10, fig. 8. 



