389 



Decilaus auricomus, Lea. 



Var. victoriensis. Mr. H. W. Davey has taken sexes of 

 <i species from the \\^estern District of Victoria that appear 

 to represent another variety of auricomus. In colour the male 

 agrees with the variety insularis, but it diflPers from that variety 

 ^nd from the typical form in having the prothoracic punctures 

 ■considerably larger. Its female differs from its male in having 

 the golden clothing of the under-surface replaced by stout 

 (stouter on abdomen than on the metasternum), depressed, 

 white scales; the two basal segments of abdomen convex and 

 the rostrum thinner, with smaller but more clearly-defined 

 punctures, and clothed only at extreme base and in the sub- 

 lateral sulci. 



Var. ( ?) fasmaniensis. A specimen from Hobart probably 

 represents another variety. Its colour and the clothing of its 

 Tipper-surface are much as in the variety insularis. It appears 

 to be a female, as its rostrum is as in the above-noted female, 

 but it differs decidedly from both sexes of that variety in the 

 -clothing of two basal segments of abdomen ; the scales there 

 .are thin, elongate, and decumbent ; on the metasternum they 

 are still thinner, although far from being hair-like, as in the 

 males. 



Decilaus cuniculosus, Lea. 



Mr. Davey has taken sexes of this species in the Western 

 District of Victoria. The female differs from the male (type) 

 in having the rostrum slightly longer and thinner, with 

 smaller and sparser but more clearly-defined punctures, the 

 legs slightly shorter, and basal segment of abdomen less 

 ^concave. 



Decilaus perditus, Pasc. 



In this species the rostrum is triangularly notched on each 

 side of the base, but the notches are normally more or less 

 concealed by clothing. On examination from the under- 

 surface, however, they are very distinct. Several other species 

 (litoralis, ovatus, and sohrinus) have similar but less distinct 

 notches. Mr. Pascoe recorded the species from Western Aus- 

 tralia and Victoria; it also occurs in Tasmania (Ulverstone) 

 and South Australia (Plenley Beach and Edithburgh). 



Eight specimens, taken at roots of beach-growing plants 

 near Sydney, are entirely without white scales, the brownish 

 ones nowhere condensed into spots or fasciae, and (except on 

 prothorax) nowhere distinct. 



A specimen from Ocean Grove (Victoria) possibly belongs 

 to the species, but its mesosternal receptacle is almost V-shaped 

 and almost open, its hind margin being no thicker than the 

 sides ; in fact, not as thick as the apices. This is possibly an 



