124 



commented upon do so belong. There are specimens from 

 other localities (including Melville Island), and with other 

 slight differences, in the Museum. 



Rhyparida limbattpennis, Jac. 



PL v., figs. 22-24. 



Of this species Jacoby had eight specimens belonging to 

 two forms; but the one (with almost entirely dark elytra) he 

 described as typical is much less abundant than the one with 

 a few spots; this form being very abundant in many parts 

 of Queensland (Rockhampton, Charters Towers, Cairns, Cook- 

 town, Coen River, etc.). He described the antennae and legs 

 as fulvous, but the former are frequently infuscated, except 

 towards the base, and the knees, tip of tibiae, and tarsi are 

 usually infuscated. On the pale form the spots on each elytron 

 very in number from one to three. 



Rhypakida clypeata, Jac. 



Three specimens from North Queensland (Blackburn's 

 'collection) and Cairns (E. Allen) evidently belong to this 

 species, which is readily distinguished by its entirely pale 

 colour and "the entirely impunctate head and clypeus, which 

 latter is not separated from the face." Two of them (both 

 males) have a feeble longitudinal impression on the head, but 

 on the other (a female) it is more distinct. The female has 

 elytral punctures as in the type, but on the males they appear 

 to be much larger, owing to each being surrounded by a 

 watery-looking ring (^i^ ; their actual sizes, however, are much 

 as on the female. Jacoby described the femora as unarmed, 

 but on close examination a very minute tooth (invisible from 

 most directions) may be seen on each, those on the four hind 

 ones nearer the apex than base, and on the others nearer base 

 than apex. At first sight each appears like a speck of dust. 



Two other females agree so closely in sculpture (including 

 the femora) with these that it does not appear desirable to 

 regard them as more than slight varieties. They have a few 

 minute punctures on the clypeus, and the base of this is 

 marked off from the head by a feebly-curved bisinuate line.('*2) 

 One has a very vague spot on the middle of each elytron near 

 the base ; the other has a similar spot, and in addition one 

 on each shoulder, and a vague stripe on each side of the 

 prothorax. 



(41) Similar rings appear to occur on occasional specimens in 

 many other families of beetles. 



(42) On most species of the genus the punctures and basal 

 suture of the clypeus are more or less variable. 



