174 



EiiTSTus BicoLort, Blackb. 



There are three specimens from Tasmania before nie 

 which ajDpear to belong to this species, but they have not the 

 antennae entirely dark ; on one of them the scape is pale, and 

 on the others the first two joints of the funicle as well. Two 

 of them have the sides of the prothorax stained with piceous! 



The very feeble carina between the eyes and on the base 

 of the rostrum apjDcars to be confined to tlie male. 



Desiantha malevolens, Lea, var. vegrandis, Lea. 



This species is widely distributed and variable. In addi- 

 tion to the ty23es, there are now before me specimens from 

 North-Western Australia, Queensland, and New South 

 Wales. 



Apparently there is always a whitish spot on the third 

 interstice just beyond the middle, and this is frequently the 

 only pale spot on each elytron. On specimens from the 

 North-West there are frequently numerous similar spots to- 

 wards the sides, sometimes alternated with darker spots, 

 whilst the spot on the third interstice is sometimes extended 

 to the second and even to the suture ; on many of these speci- 

 mens also the dark sutural marking is absent, or broken 

 up into irregular spots or a feeble stripe on each side of, but 

 not on, suture. 



On many of the specimens from Queensland and New 

 South Wales the dark sutural marking is altogether absent, 

 and many of the elytral scales have a faint greenish tinge. 

 On these specimens also the spot on the third interstice, al- 

 though always traceable, is frequently indistinct. 



The depression of the metasternum and abdomen is con- 

 fined to the males ; in the female the space so occupied in 

 the male is quite flat. 



I am now convinced that the form described as verfrandis 

 is but a small variety of this species. 



Destantha nociva, n. sp. 



Reddish-brown, antenna and tarsi paler ; prothorax 

 black. Prothorax and elytra densely clothed with soft, 

 rounded, pale-muddy-brown, feebly-variegated scales : and in 

 addition with numerous stout, brown, semi-erect setae. Head, 

 rostrum, under surface, and appendages with dense stram- 

 ineoris set^ or coarse piibescence. 



Tlf((cl with dense more or less concealed punctures. Ros- 

 trum stout, increasing in width from base almost to apex ; 

 with three strong carinfe from base almost to ajDex, and with 



