157 



any specimen of that species in the Museum, and the punctures 

 on the pronotum are more distinct; their convexity is about 

 midway between that of halticoides and of dimidiata. 



Rhyparida tropica, n. sp. 

 PI. vii., figs. 55-57. 



Colours and markings variable. 



Head rather convex; with rather small and not very 

 dense punctures, becoming larger and denser on clypeus ; 

 medio-frontal impression narrow and rather feeble, or moder- 

 ately well defined. Eyes fairly large, very prominent, and 

 widely separated. Frothorax across middle about twice the 

 median length, front angles unarmed : with dense and fairly 

 large punctures, smaller on disc than elsewhere. Elytra short, 

 at base not much wider than prothorax, sides feebly dilated to 

 beyond the middle : with rows of fairly large punctures, becom- 

 ing smaller towards but quite distinct to apex ; interstices more 

 convex than usual, the one starting from each shoulder rather 

 acutely elevated for some distance ; a vague depression across 

 basal third, but not extending to sides or suture. Flanks of 

 prosternum feebly striated about base. Femora very minutely 

 dentate; claws bifid. Length, 2J-3 mm. 



/jf/^)._Queensland: Bundaberg (Blackburn's collection), 

 Innisfail (C. French), Cairns district (Macleay Museum and 

 A. M. Lea), Torres Straits (H. J. Carter). Type, I. 3098. 



A small, wide, and extremely variable species, with rather 

 coarse punctures. The elytra appear to have a longitudinal 

 carina starting from each shoulder and continued for a short 

 distance backward, parallel with the margin.^ The species is 

 so abundant, and there are so many forms of it, that it is not 

 desirable to describe more than some of these ; from the first the 

 type has been selected. 



1. Head and prothorax reddish, elytra flavous, a large 

 subtriangular infuscate blotch about scutellum, and a large 

 rounded similarly-coloured median one on each elytron, ob- 

 scurely connected with the side ; under-surf ace more or less 

 infuscated, appendages flavous. This form graduates by slight 

 steps to Form 2 on the pale side, and to Form 3 on the dark 



side. 



2. Entirely pale-flavous ; head, prothorax, scutellum, and 

 a space about same slightly more reddish than other parts. 

 Some specimens have the legs and abdomen almost r white. 



3. Entirely black, except that the head is sometimes of 

 a dull -red, with a subtriangular infuscate basal blotch, that 

 parts of antennae are obscurely reddish, and that the palpi 

 tarsi, and sometimes parts of the tibiae, are flavous. 



