229 



spots at the sides, although in some lights the tips of the 

 segments appear to be darker than the other parts. A 

 specimen (from the Blackburn collection) differs from the 

 types in being somewhat larger (7 mm. to tips of elytra) and 

 uniformly clothed all over with ashen-white pubescence, quite 

 as pale on the sides of the elytra as on the suture. 



Var. niveosuturalis, n. var. 



There are before me 33 specimens from Western Aus- 

 tralia (Capel River, Mount Barker, and Beverley) that differ 

 from the typical form in having the suture narrowly and 

 conspicuously snowy- white, in strong contrast to the rest of 

 the clothing (the sides at the base where they are concealed 

 from above have pale clothing, but not so white as on the 

 suture, and on the typical form the clothing there is also 

 paler than on the disc), and each of the abdominal segments 

 has a conspicuous dark spot on each side. 



The specimen formerly recorded as verticordiae from 

 Mount Barker belongs to this variety; of the typical form 

 I have seen specimens only from Mogumber and Mullewa. 

 The two forms are quite sharply denned and distinct, but as 

 they agree so closely in structure, especially as to the 

 conspicuously-notched pygidium, it does not appear desirable 

 to treat the present form as more than a variety. 



Mordella V-fasciata, Lea. 

 A specimen from Benalla has the black pubescence of 

 the elytra with a distinct greenish gloss in certain lights; the 

 infuscate spot on the disc of the pronotum scarcely traceable, 

 but the one on the head distinct. A specimen from Cairns 

 agrees well with the variety modesta, except that there is an 

 obscure spot of stramineous pubescence near the apex of 

 each elytron. 



MORDELLA CONSPECTA, n. Sp. 



PL xv., fig. 123. 



Black, in places conspicuously iridescent ; antennae and 

 palpi obscurely reddish. With short pubescence, whitish on 

 head, scutellum, mesosternum, and legs, whitish but not 

 evenly distributed on metasternum and abdomen, and varie- 

 gated on pronotum and elytra. 



Rather narrow. Scutellum with sides oblique and tip 

 rounded. Pygidium elongate, ridged along middle, tip trun- 

 cate. Antennae elongate, none of the joints transverse. 

 Longer spur of hind tibiae almost twice the length of the 

 other. Length, (25) 9.131 mm . 



(25) The lengths are in each case inclusive of the pygidium. 



