162 



glabrous, but when viewed from the sides a few very short 

 hairs become visible. The elytral striae are well defined on 

 the sides, but become feeble about the base and apex. 



MELANDRYIDAE. 



The Australian genera of the Melandryidae may be 

 tabulated as follows : — 



A. Of fragile sculpture and eyes deeply notched Scraptia 

 AA. Of less fragile sculpture and eyes lightly, 

 or not at all notched. 

 B. Sides of prothorax not acutely oarinated. 



a. Eyes rather finely faceted Paromarteon 



aa. Eyes coarsely faceted. 



b. Sides of prothorax strongly rounded ... Temnopalpus 

 bb. Sides of prothorax in parts oblique, 

 c. Antennae with apical joints forming 



a loosely compacted club Lagrioida 



cc. Antennae non-clavate TricJtosalpingus 



BB. An acute carina forming (at least on 

 basal half of each side) the boundary 

 between the upper and lower parts of 

 prothorax. 



C. Body much wider than deep Mystes 



CC. Body scarcely, if at all, wider than 

 deep. 

 D. Front coxae separated by an intercoxal 



process Orchesia 



DD. Front ooxae approximate. 



E. Spurs to hind tibiae very long and 



subequal Taluyra 



EE. Spurs much shorter and very un- ( Ctenoplectron 

 equal (. Dircaea 



Scraptia. 

 This genus, of world-wide distribution, was referred by 

 Lacordaire to the Pedilidae, but by Leconte and Champion 

 to the Melandryidae. The Australian species already referred 

 to it differ considerably in appearance, but they (as also 

 those now described) agree in having the exoskeleton of a 

 rather soft nature (and consequently liable to irregular con- 

 traction) and the antennae (whose second and third joints 

 are usually very small) of a curiously fragile nature, and 

 difficult to retain whole during relaxation and resetting (much 

 as in many Dascillidae) ; the head close behind the eyes is con- 

 stricted into a neck, but as it is usually closely applied to 

 the prothorax the neck is generally concealed; the eyes are 

 coarsely faceted and deeply emarginate, on some specimens 

 appearing almost divided, and they vary from almost touch- 

 ing to rather widely separated, the front ooxae are large, 

 contiguous almost throughout, and the part of the pro- 

 sternum anterior to them is very short. There are some very 

 distinct species, but the majority are closely allied and 



