299 



in light but traceable striae. Basal segment of abdomen with 

 -dense punctures; and with a large subtriangular space 

 marked off by a ridge on each side, the two ridges meeting at 

 the middle of the apex. Femora stout, strongly grooved, hind 

 pair wide and angularly dilated. Length, IJ-lf mm. 



Hah. — Queensland: Bundaberg (A. M. Lea). Type, 

 I. 1888. 



A minute, strongly convex, elliptic species; readily dis- 

 tinguished from all others of the genus by the stiff erect scales 

 thickly scattered about on the upper-surface, rostrum, and 

 legs. Pascoe, it is true, described erinacea as having "squamis 

 nigris opacis validis erectis" ; but six specimens of that species 

 before me from King George Sound (the type locality) are 

 not so clothed, the larger scales being all more or less de- 

 cumbent, certainly nowhere projecting at right angles to the 

 derm. On the elytra there is a feeble spot of dark scales in 

 the scutellar region, and a more distinct one, or fascicle, on 

 the suture about the middle; from the latter a vague, dusky, 

 oblique stripe extends forward halfway towards each side, and 

 there are some whitish scales accentuating the dark ones. The 

 three typical specimens are apparently all males. 



Alatidotasia rubriventris, Lea. 

 Three specimens, recently taken at Cairns, probably 

 helong to this species, but they differ from the types in having 

 the under-surface as dark as the upper. The rostrum is 

 shorter, and antennae stouter, but these may be sexual 

 characters; if so, these are males, and the types are females. 



Alatidotasia elliptica, n. sp. 



Black, shining; antennae and claws somewhat reddish. 

 Under-surface and legs with a few white scales, a narrow 

 stripe of white scales on each side near apex of elytra. 



Head with distinct punctures in front; a distinct impres- 

 sion between eyes. Rostrum rather short, sides distinctly 

 incurved to middle, widest near base, but base itself notched 

 on each side; about base with distinct punctures, elsewhere 

 almost or quite impunctate. Scape stout, inserted slightly 

 nearer apex than base of rostrum, about half the length of 

 funicle and club combined. Prothorax stronglj transverse; 

 with not very dense and small punctures, becoming somewhat 

 larger on sides. Elytra elongate-cordate, closely applied to 

 and outlines continuous with those of prothorax; with very 

 narrow striae, containing minute and distant punctures, but 

 a few fairly large ones at base and sides; interstices not 

 separately convex. Abdomen with first segment depressed 



