190 



segment is somewhat larger, and its metasternal fovea con- 

 siderably larger. 



DiETHUSA FUNEREA, n. Sp. 



Almost black; antennae, tarsi, and tip of rostrum reddish. 

 Densely clothed with sooty scales : most of under-surface and 

 legs with white or whitish scales. 



Rostrum moderately long, thin, and parallel-sided ; basal 

 half with coarse, but more or less concealed punctures ; apical 

 half with smaller, but clearly-defined ones. Scape not very 

 thin, inserted almost in middle of rostrum, much shorter than, 

 funicle ; basal joint of funicle slightly longer than second. 

 Prothorax lightly transverse, with dense punctures. Elytra 

 subcordate, base rather strongly trisinuate, with rows of rather 

 small punctures, in narrow strise, the striae distinct, but the 

 punctures almost concealed ; interstices wide, with dense con- 

 cealed punctures, nowhere ridged. Basal segment of abdomen 

 rather strongly convex, apical with a feeble impression. 

 Femora stout, hind pair strongly, middle ones moderately,, 

 front ones lightly dentate ; four front tibiae each with apical 

 hook small. Length, 4 mm. 



Hah. — South Australia: Poonindie (Blackburn's col- 

 lection). Type, I. 1331. 



In the rostrum, whose apex when at rest is received into 

 a slightly concave mesosternal receptacle, instead of passing 

 beyond same, this species agrees with Psydestis and Melan- 

 teriosoma, but the second abdominal segment, although much 

 shorter than the first, is not unusually short, and the eyes are 

 moderately faceted. Too many genera have already been pro- 

 posed at the expense of M elanteriu s , so it seems better to treat 

 the present species as an aberrant member of Biethusa rather 

 than to propose a new genus for its reception. A second speci- 

 men differs from the type in having the elytra (although their 

 clothing is still sooty) and legs reddish. The two evidently 

 belong to but one sex, but I am doubtful as to what that 

 sex is. 



DiETHUSA SILACEA, U. Sp. 



d" . Reddish-castaneous. Densely clothed with ochreous 

 scales variegated with golden ; becoming whitish on under- 

 surface and legs. 



Eostru??i rather long and thin, very feebly diminishing 

 in width from base to apex; with dense punctures, becoming 

 coarser and linear in arrangement behind antennae, and with 

 a feeble median carina. Scape inserted very slightly nearer 

 apex than base of rostrum, shorter than funicle; first joint 

 of funicle as long as second and third combined; club rather 



