134 



like small granules. This appears to be due to individual- 

 variation; it is more common in Diapkonia and the allied 

 genera than in others. 



In the heavily-timbered parts of Australia many of our 

 finest species appear to occur in abundance, but they are very- 

 seldom seen, as they frequent the tops of tall trees. Such 

 collectors as the Dodd Brothers, H. Hacker, and the late H- 

 Elgner, who have climbed trees and there waited, net in 

 hand, have obtained many fine insects that the ordinary col- 

 lector never sees. In this way they have obtained Lomaptera 

 macrosticta and hackeri, C'hlorobapta tibialis, Dilochrosis 

 frenchi and balteata, Calodema plebejus, Metaxymorplia 

 gloriosa and hauseri, and other magnificent day-flying beetles. 



The travelling collector, as a rule, obtains only the com- 

 moner species that occur on flowering shrubs and dwarf trees ; 

 with an occasional good straggler. By felling trees in full bloom 

 in fairly open country some of the rarer species may be taken 

 occasionally. More than half the species known to occur in 

 the vicinity of Sydney are to be taken on the flowers of 

 Angophora cordi folia. Whether, when collecting en tall trees? 

 is easier than it is at present, many species will be taken in 

 Tasmania is a question for the future ; at present only one 

 representative of the subfamily, a small Microvalgus, is known 

 from there. 



In a group in which great variability is common, and 

 often combined with rarity of specimens, it is only natural 

 that extensive synonymy should result. Wallace's remarks 

 on the Malayan Cetonides ( 6 ) are equally applicable to the 

 Australian: "The phenomena of variation are well exhibited 

 here. . . . We have insects of wide range, and with such 

 an amount of variation, that few would consider it possible 

 that the extremes, considered alone, could be the same species; 

 but these extremes are united by a series of intermediate 

 forms, many of which occur together in the same locality." 



Probably all, or most, of our species will eventually be 

 found to have varietal forms; but the three following lists- 

 of species normally, or occasionally, entirely black, may be 

 of interest. 



Black species, sometimes with a metallic gloss. No 

 varieties, differing in colour of upper-surface, as yet 

 described : — 



Cacochroa pullata. 



Diaphonia frenchi (Schoch, not Lea). 



Metattesthes metallescens. 



Microvalgus mucronatus. 



M. nigrinus. 



(6) Trans. Ent. Soc, Lond., 3rd ser., iv. 



