50 



the under-surface black : the black, however, except as to the 

 coxae, does not extend to the legs. On the elytra the darker 

 scales, which are usually of a dingy-brown, form feeble irregu- 

 lar spots, or are singly but thickly scattered ; on the pro- 

 thorax they do not appear to form spots. There are appar- 

 ently regular rows of punctures on the elytra, but each punc- 

 ture in the rows is almost or completely filled by a scale, so 

 that the punctures themselves cannot be clearly seen, but 

 they are narrower than the interstices : these apparently 

 being without granules. 



The smallest species of the subfamily known to me. 

 Uniformis, the next smallest species, is decidedly wider in 

 proportion, and differs in other particulars. The very short 

 prothorax and comparatively long elytra are very distinctive 

 features. From most directions the femora appear to be 

 edentate. 



SUBFAMILY ZYGOPIDES. 



Metialma, Pascoe, Ann. and Mag., Nat. Hist., 1871, 

 vol. vii., p. 217. 

 This genus of Zygopides has not hitherto been recorded 

 as Australian. It may be recognized by the compact body, 

 large and feebly-separated eyes, enormous side pieces of meso- 

 and meta-sternum, Lcemosaccus-like abdomen and pygidium, 

 very stout femora, each armed with a very large triangular 

 tooth, and by the curious basally-arched tibiae. Pascoe was 

 acquainted with 5 species, and speaks of their "very uniform 

 and distinctive appearance," and the 5 species before me are 

 almost identical in sculpture. Of the species that he de- 

 scribed, the clothing of the present one apparently most 

 resembles that of scenica, from India. 



Metialma Australia, n. sp. 



Black ; antennae, tarsi, and apical half of rostrum red- 

 dish, tibiae obscurely diluted with red. Clothed with white 

 more or less setose scales on setae, closely applied to derm and 

 irregularly distributed : elsewhere glabrous or with blackish 

 scales. 



Rostrum strongly curved ; basal half with three acute 

 carinae, apical half shining and with very minute punctures. 

 Prothorax moderately transverse, base much wider than apex, 

 and strongly produced to middle : with a very feeble median 

 carina : with small, dense, round punctures. Elytra cordate, 

 not much longer than wide ; with fairly deep punctures in 

 narrow, sharply-defined striae : interstices with numerous small 

 punctures. Femora very stout, especially the front pair, and 



