BY THE REV. T. BLACKBURN. 807 



the elytra are said to be yellow at the base, and the compai'ison 

 of the markings to those of nitiduloides, Guer., implies (rather 

 vaguely) that the yellow color almost touches the lateral margins. 

 The decription, however, is so vague that S. sjoreta may possibly 

 not resemble it very much. 



Northern Territory of S. Australia ; collected by Mr. J. P. 

 Tepper ; a female specimen. 



S. BOOPS, sp.nov. 



Supra colore variabilis (ferruginea plus minus infuscata, vel tota 

 picea) ; corpore subtus antennis palpis pedibusoue ferrugineis ; 

 capite prothoraceque vix evidenter punctulatis, illo lateribus sub- 

 depressis, oculis prominentibus ; elytris plus minus punctulato- 

 striatis. Long. 6 lines, lat. 3i lines. 



This species belongs to the very difficult and obscure group in the 

 genus of which S. fallax, Westw., is a member. Mr. Macleay 

 teHs me that it is distinct from his 8. Mastersi, which is said to be 

 more strongly punctulate-striate on the elyti-a than S. fcdlax. The 

 present insect is evidently a veiy variable one ; the series before 

 me varies in the color of the upper surface from nearly uniform 

 ferruginous to nearly uniform piceous, and in the sculpture of the 

 elytra from being neai-ly smooth to being as strongly punctulate- 

 striate as a typical S. fallax. The head and prothorax scarcely 

 differ from the same parts in 8. fallax, except in the less con- 

 vexity of the former (especially at the sides), which makes the 

 eyes ap])ear more prominent ; and in the latter being wider in 

 proportion to the length of the whole insect, its width being 

 scarcely less than half the whole length. The elytra are decidedly 

 wider in proportion to their length than those of aS'. fallax, being 

 scarcely more than an eighth again (in fallax they are about a 

 quarter again) as long as together wide, and the lateral margins are 

 ■wider, and decidedly more (though still not at all strongly) rounded 

 than in that species. 



Northern Territory of S. Australia ; collected by Mr. J. P. 

 Tepper. 



