137 



metallic markings of the elytra occupy more than half of 

 the surface, and leave a zig-zag median fascia and an 

 irregular subquadrate apical patch pale; the pale parts are 

 reddish-flavous, becoming flavous where they join the dark 

 parts, but on some specimens the pale parts are already of 

 uniform colour; the dark parts become more conspicuously 

 purplish where they adjoin the median fascia. The specimen 

 from the Blackburn collection is a female, and agrees in all 

 respects (including the subisolated medio-frontal spot) with 

 females from Emerald. 



Laius flavifrons, n. sp. 

 PI. xiii., figs. 18, 41, 42. 

 <3 . Flavous, in places reddish-flavous; basal half of 

 head, scutellum, mesosternum, metasternum, tip of abdomen, 

 most of legs, and eight apical joints of antennae black, with 

 a more or less distinct metallic gloss ; elytra with a rather 

 wide basal fascia, and a large postmedian spot, metallic- 

 purple or deep blue. Clothed with long, straggling, blackish 

 hairs, and with fairly distinct, whitish pubescence. 



Head obliquely flattened, sides obliquely narrowed in 

 front of eyes; with minute punctures. Antennae rather short, 

 first joint stout and dilated to apex, second large and dis- 

 torted, convex on lower-surface, irregularly concave on upper, 

 the following joints rather short, but tenth distinctly longer 

 than ninth. Protkorax strongty transverse, sides strongly 

 rounded; with numerous subasperate punctures on sides, 

 becoming smaller and sparser in middle. Elytra not much 

 wider than prothorax, almost parallel-sided to near apex; 

 with dense and rather small, but sharply-defined punctures, 

 less distinct on parts of metallic markings than elsewhere ; 

 with feeble, piliferous granules. Second joint of front tarsi 

 almost concealing third from above, and with a narrow black 

 rim. Length ( <S , 9)> 4-5 mm. 



O . Differs in having the eyes less prominent, medio- 

 apical portion less depressed, the flavous portion considerably 

 smaller; antennae with first joint smaller, second much 

 smaller and simple (but considerably larger than third and 

 almost as long as third and fourth combined), elytra less 

 parallel-sided, and in the front tarsi. 



Hab. — Western Australia: Cue (H. W. Brown). Type, 

 I. 7584. 



The elytral pattern is much as on nodicornis and belhdus, 

 but the head and antennae are very different; cavicornis is 

 very similar in colour, but also has very different antennae. 

 The pale muzzle of the male has a curious triangular appear- 

 ance ; on the male the hind legs, middle tibiae, and tarsi are 



