173 



A deep-black species, in aj^jjearance like funerea, but 

 much larger, elytral tubercles more prominent and rostrum 

 longer, with more conspicuous sculpture. In build it is much 

 like vur/ans, but, apart from the very different clothing, the 

 elytral tubercles are different, and the rostrum is somewhat 

 stouter. The eyes are much more prominent than in adusta, 

 which is also distinctly narrower and with different tubercles. 



On one of the five specimens before me the scales of the 

 upper surface are entirely black. On the second there are 

 two feeble muddy-brown stripes on each side of the prothorax. 

 On the third there is a distinct but very irregular patch of 

 whitish scales on each side of the elytra beyond the middle. 

 On the fourth these patches are just traceable. On the fifth 

 muddy-brown scales clothe almost the whole of the prothorax,. 

 form a patch on each side of the elytra beyond the middle,, 

 and a distinct fascia just before summit of posterior declivity, 

 extending to the fifth interstices. The femora each have a 

 ring of whitish scales, except that on the front pair they 

 are sometimes very feeble or even absent. 



SUBFAMILY ERIRHINIDES. 



Meriphus tuberctjlatus, n. sp. 



Reddish-castaneous ; head, prothorax (base and apex ex- 

 cepted), and scutellum deeply infuscate or piceous ; funicle 

 and club, some spots on elytra and some vague spots on under 

 surface and femora more lightly infuscate. Moderately 

 clothed with pale-yellowish or greyish setae and forming four 

 very feeble lines on prothorax; elytra in addition with sparse 

 suberect setae. 



Head slightly longer than wide. Rostrum thin, mode- 

 rately curved, distinctly longer than head and prothorax com- 

 bined ; with five narrow carinse on basal two-thirds ; apical 

 third with fine punctures. Antennae thin; two basal joints 

 of funicle elongate, first distinctly longer than second. Pro- 

 thorax distinctly transverse, sides rounded and diminishing 

 in width from base to near apex, and then slightly inflated. 

 Elytra scarcely twice the width of prothorax, sides feebly 

 diminishing in width from shoulders ; striate-punctate, punc- 

 tures not very large and rather shallow ; interstices with a 

 few granules, some of which are almost black, third with a 

 strong, elongated, granulated tubercle at its middle. Femora 

 stout and strongly dentate, especially the hind pair ; hind 

 tibiae very strongly curved. Length (excluding rostrum), 

 3 mm. 



Hah. — New South Wales: Wollongong (A. M. Lea). 



With the exception of guttatus (rendered very distinct 

 by its clothing) this species is the most distinct one known 

 to me, and rendered so by its tubercles. 



