220 



extended are often strikingly close in general appearance to 

 limbata. 



MORDELLA BREVIS, Lea. 



The remarkable shape of the median fascia of this species 

 renders typical specimens unmistakably distinct from all 

 others of the genus, but several specimens before me (except 

 in their much smaller size) indicate an approach to some forms 

 of promiscua. 



MORDELLA CARA, Blackb. 



Specimens with the typical markings of this species well 

 denned are easily distinguished from promiscua, but with the 

 markings more or less obliterated it is not always easy to 

 distinguish them from that species. 



MORDELLA DUMBRELLI, Lea. 



On some specimens of this species the posthumeral spot 

 on each elytron is occasionally split up into two, and on such 

 specimens the sizes of the other spots are generally much 

 reduced, and occasionally the medio-apical vitta of the pro- 

 notum is absent. The species occurs in Victoria and Queens- 

 land (to as far north as Cairns) as well as in New South 

 Wales, and the specimens from the northern parts are gener- 

 ally smaller (down to 6 mm. to the tips of the elytra) than 

 those from the southern parts. A specimen (from Ebor, New 

 South Wales, in the Queensland Museum) has the post- 

 humeral spot on each elytron divided and all the pronotal 

 markings narrowly connected together ; a specimen sent with 

 it has similar elytral markings, but most of the pronotal 6pots 

 disconnected. 



Mordella elegans, Waterh. 



Var. festiva, Lea. 



PI. xiv., figs. 60-65. 

 A common and variable species that extends from South 

 Australia to Northern Queensland appears to be elegans. The 

 median markings of the elytra are usually in the form of a 

 zigzag fascia (usually rather loosely compacted), and are some- 

 times connected with the basal markings, but they are occa- 

 sionally split up into spots ; the subapical spot on each elytron 

 varies considerably in size and shape, and is sometimes want- 

 ing : the basal markings also vary. The form named festiva 

 appears to be a variety. Waterhouse said that elegans was 

 relatively shorter and more robust than communis (pro- 

 miscua), and that the spots on the elytra were much larger; 

 this is the case with many specimens of the species, but there 

 are many specimens before me that might belong either to 

 the present species or to promiscua ; some specimens also vary 



