185 



other Australian Cetojiides by the dense clothing of . the 

 pygidium and under-surface, and by the deep impression 

 occupying the greater portion of the abdomen. 



The type was described and figured as having two black- 

 ish-piceous spots on the prothorax. I have only seen three 

 specimens with two isolated spots, and those were more 

 rounded than as figured for the type. Nine others have each 

 a very lage and more or less trapeziform blotch, but never 

 of exactly the same shape, and eight others have the pro- 

 thorax immaculate. On living specimens the elytra are of 

 a pale straw-colour, but after immersion in alcohol, or with 

 age, they become more or less castaneous. A specimen, in the 

 National Museum, Melbourne, has the whole of the upper- 

 surface opaque ; but it has the appearance of a specimen that 

 was picked up dead after having been bleaching in the sun. The 

 long clothing is also considerably altered in appearance by 

 immersion in alcohol. The scutellum is sometimes entirely pale, 

 but usually has the basal portion black, and sometimes there is 

 a dark median line from the basal marking almost to the 

 apex. On specimens in perfect condition there are some fine, 

 short setee on the elytra, and still fewer on the prothorax, 

 but these are frequently absent from old or abraded specimens. 

 The length varies from 24 to 36 mm. 



The female differs from the male in being somewhat 

 smaller, with the punctures, especially on the elytra, coarser. 

 The elytra cover more of the abdomen and the incurvature 

 of the sides behind the shoulders is less pronounced. The 

 pygidium is much smaller. The clothing of the under-surface 

 and pygidium is shorter and less dense. The abdomen is 

 evenly convex. The legs are distinctly shorter, the front tibiae 

 are strongly trident ate externally, and the other tibiae are 

 more conspicuously armed. 



The species was referred originally to Diaphonia, but was 

 made the type of Hemichnoodes by Kraatz. Blackburn con- 

 sidered that it should have been left in Diaphonia, in which 

 I concur. The clypeus is certainly rather deeply notched, but 

 this character is not supported by others. 



DlAPHONIA WITTEI, Schoch. 



The description of the sculpture of this species reads very 

 well as if founded on a rather small male of mniszechn, and 

 the colour, except the prothoracic markings, would fit several 

 specimens before me. The prothorax, however, is described as 

 having on the disc two black spots, and in front of same a 

 black H-shaped mark. But as the prothoracic markings of 

 mniszechii are very variable, it seems probable that wittei 

 will prove to be simply a variety. More especially as the 



