173 



apex; with very small crowded punctures, more or less trans- 

 versely or obliquely arranged; marginal carina on each side- 

 acute from base to beyond the middle, but vanishing before 

 apex. Elytra parallel-sided to beyond the middle, striation 

 well defined; with dense minute punctures transversely 

 arranged towards base, but shoulders rather strongly trans- 

 versely strigose. Four hind tibiae strongly serrated on. 

 upper-surface, spurs to hind pair unequal. Length, 9| mm. 



Hab. — South Australia: Adelaide (J. G. O. Tepper)~ 

 Type (unique), I. 6096. 



With the general appearance of Dircaea velutina, but 

 elytra distinctly striated, prothorax with distinct median line, 

 and tip of scutellum bilobed. It was referred to Ctenoplectron 

 as the spurs to the hind tibiae, although fairly long, are 

 unequal, but not to the same extent as in affile; the hind 

 tarsi are missing from the type, but the longer spur is about 

 one-fifth the length of its supporting tibia ; from agile also 

 it differs in being wider, and without satiny lustre (except 

 on the abdomen), elytral striation more pronounced, apical 

 third of suture not conspicuously serrated, and median line 

 of pronotum less conspicuous in front and deeper behind. 

 The head is of a dingy red, with a vaguely infuscated spot 

 in middle. From some directions the pronotum and elytra 

 appear to be irregularly mottled with obscure red, but the 

 under-surface and legs are more reddish than piceous. 



Dircaea bimaculipennis, n. sp. 



Black ; a large spot on each elytron, clypeus, labrum, ancf 

 appendages more or less reddish-flavous. Densely clothed 

 with very short, ashen (in some places silken) pubescence. 



Head with densely-crowded and small, but sharply- 

 defined punctures. Eyes transversely elliptic, about four 

 times as wide as long. Antennae extending almost to tip of 

 metasternum, second joint about half the length of first, and 

 two-thirds the length of third. Prothorax about as long as 

 wide, hind angles distinctly produced, sides feebly increasing 

 in width from base to near apex, and then strongly rounded, 

 median line fairly deep and distinct at base, but vanishing 

 before apex, a vague depression on base towards each side; 

 punctures somewhat larger than on head ; marginal carina 

 on each side conspicuous throughout. Elytra at base slightly 

 narrower than prothorax, feebly diminishing in width almost 

 from base, rather lightly striated, the striae almost vanishing 

 laterally and posteriorly, except for the subsutural and sub- 

 marginal ones ; with very small dense punctures posteriorly, 

 but towards base becoming transversely arranged or 

 strigose, more conspicuously on shoulders than elsewhere. 



