246 



MORDELLISTENA. 



I have regarded the numbers of ridges on the hind tibiae 

 and on the two basal joints of the hind tarsi of the species of 

 this genus as of specific importance, and they are practically 

 the only characters by which the close allies of oustrina may 

 be distinguished with certainty, as the other differences in the 

 general outlines, of the pygidium, colour, and clothing are of 

 a comparative nature. On the third tarsal joint the ridges, 

 although sometimes distinct, are so close together, and often 

 so feeble, that they are not to be relied upon. A small 

 amount of grease may obscure the others also, and it is to be 

 noted that the ridges occur only on one side (although usually 

 traceable as serrations along the upper edge). With the 

 hind legs broken off, or the ridges in any way obscured, it 

 would be quite impossible to identify with certainty several 

 allies of austrina. 



MORDELLISTENA AUSTRINA, Champ. 



The original description of this species was founded upon 

 two specimens from Darwin and Tasmania ; but specimens may 

 be beaten in abundance from drying leaves of fallen trees in 

 many parts of Australia. In the description the hind tibiae 

 are noted as having "a short basal and two elongate oblique 

 ridges"; the ridges vary considerably in length and degree of 

 obliquity, but on all the specimens before me it is the sub- 

 apical ridge that is short, the two ridges on the third tarsal 

 joint are sometimes so close together that they appear as but 

 one. The length varies from 3 to 6 mm. (inclusive of the 

 pygidium). I have seen no specimens with a distinct "trans- 

 verse infuscate band across the middle" of the pronotum, but 

 many specimens have a few slight stains almost amounting 

 to spots there. 



Var. 1. Numerous specimens from Cairns and one each 

 from Magnetic Island, Mount Tambourine, and Darwin differ 

 from the typical form in being paler, and with the elytra more 

 parallel-sided ; the pubescence appears to be also slightly 

 shorter. 



Var. 2. A single specimen from Cairns has the head 

 (muzzle excepted) black, and pronotum with a few infuscate 

 spots. 



Var. 3. Two specimens from the Victorian Alps have 

 the pygidium shorter and less acute than usual, and the 

 shoulders and suture with pubescence of a more golden tone 

 than on the rest of the elytra. 



Var. 4. Two small (2|-3 mm.) specimens from Cairns 

 have the general outlines of Var. 1, but have the bodv-T>arts 

 almost (parts of the head and pronotum quite) black, and 



