227 



1902, pis. i. and ii. ; communis, figs. 1 and 2 ; aemula, 

 fig. 10; fugitiva, fig. 16; raymondi, fig. 21 ; trimalts, fig. 22; 

 and simillima, fig. 32) ; but the markings on each elytron may 

 be considered as: A. A narrow sutural portion from near the 

 base continued round the base to the shoulder, and frequently 

 with an oblique extension from the shoulder. B. An oblique 

 subhumeral spot. C. A median zigzag fascia. D. A subapical 

 spot. But of these markings A may be connected with B, or 

 may be represented by a few disconnected spots ; B may be 

 enlarged in size or disappear; C is frequently broken up into 

 disconnected spots, or all parts except a reversed V may 

 disappear, and its outlines are frequently blurred, occasionally 

 it is connected with A, it is seldom quite absent; D is of 

 variable size and shape, or may be wanting. Moreover, 

 many of the markings tend to disappear from certain points 

 of view, and they are always obscured or apparently wanting 

 on greasy specimens ; a slight amount of abrasion also very 

 considerably alters the appearance of many specimens. The 

 markings on the pronotum are quite unreliable. On many 

 specimens from South Australia and New South Wales some 

 of the markings on the basal half of the elytra are conjoined 

 to form an ornamental T (fig. 85 ; the pattern, of course, shows 

 only the right half of the T). Some specimens of this form 

 decidedly approach some forms of limbnta. A specimen (from 

 King George Sound, in the Macleay Museum) perhaps repre- 

 sents an extreme variety of the species ; it is the size of 

 trivialis, but with the elytral markings reduced to an qbscure 

 subapical transverse spot, and a still more obscure (invisible 

 from most directions) and very small medio-sutural spot : 

 its general pubescence is of a dark rusty-brown. 



Simillima is now first noted as a variety of the species; 

 there are numerous specimens in the Museum from Kangaroo 

 Island that quite easily connect it with promiscua, although 

 at the time it was described such specimens were not avail- 

 able, and the types appeared so distinct from communis 

 (promiscua) as to not even need comparison with that species. 



I am quite satisfied that there are specimens of several 

 undescribed species before me that are allied to promiscua, 

 but they have been passed over as they were not represented 

 by sufficiently long series to render their typical forms clearly 

 definable. 



MORDELLA PULCHRA, Lea. 



Two specimens from Brisbane (sent with two normal ones) 

 differ from the type in being smaller and with the basal half 

 of the derm of the elytra of a rusty-brown, but with a 

 somewhat golden appearance due to the pubescence ; the derm 

 between the median and subapical fasciae, and the apical 

 i2 



