312 



Eyes rather close together ; a deep fovea between them. 

 Rostrum moderately long, with clearly-defined punctures in 

 "front, becoming linear in arrangement, and leaving three 

 feeble carina behind antennae. Scape inserted about two- 

 fifths from apex of rostrum, somewhat shorter than funicle ; 

 basal joint of funicle longer than second. Profliorax with 

 moderately dense and clearly-defined but rather small punc- 

 tures. Elytra cordate, shoulders and sides rather strongly 

 rounded, base not trisinuate ; with rows of moderately large 

 wrinkled punctures, in deep striss ; interstices ridged along 

 middle, except about base, the sutural one only posteriorly, 

 with dense rugose punctures. Metasternuin with sparser punc- 

 tures than usual. Basal segment of ah d omen rather lightly 

 depressed in middle. Femora stout, rather strongly dentate. 

 Length, 4| mm. 



Hah. — Queensland: Cairns (E. Allen). 



In many respects close to j)ersimilis, but all the interstices 

 with dense and confused punctures not (except those in the 

 striae) in series. In my table the punctures would also dis- 

 tinguish it from cordi'pennis, which, moreover, is a consider- 

 ably paler species. The second abdominal segment is rather 

 shorter than is usual in the genus, being distinctly shorter 

 than the tv/o following combined. 



Melanterius ellipticus, n. sp. 



9. Blackish-brown; antennae and tarsi paler. Elytra 

 with very minute setse, prothorax with a seta in each punc- 

 ture ; legs with rather dense white setae, the under-surface more 

 sparsely' clothed. 



Eyes widely separated. Rostrum rather long and thin; 

 with rather dense punctures in front, becoming linear in 

 arrangement behind antennae, but leaving an impunctate 

 median line from same to base. Scape thin, inserted one-third 

 from apex of rostrum and the length of funicle; first joint 

 of funicle distinctly longer than second. Prothorax not much 

 wider than long, sides obliquely decreasing in width to apex ; 

 with dense clearly-defined punctures of moderate size, becom- 

 ing small about apex. Elytra closely applied to, and base 

 no wider than prothorax, sides rather strongly rounded ; with 

 rows of large oblong punctures, becoming smaller posteriorly; 

 interstices acutely ridged on apical half, the lateral ones 

 almost to base, with sparse and minute punctures. Basal 

 segment of ahdomen flat in middle; third and fourth each 

 with a single row of setiferous punctures across middle. 

 Femora stout, strongly dentate ; four front tibise each with 

 ,hook starting near summit of apical slope. Length, 4^ mm. 



Hah. — Queensland: Cairns (E. Allen). 



