210 



female, the latter in error, as it is an unusually dark speci- 

 men of pusilla. Two other males before me agree with the 

 type; one is from Sydney, the other, from the Blackburn 

 collection, is without locality, but labelled "atra." They 

 all have the prothorax with a somewhat sericeous appearance, 

 but also with sharply-defined punctures ; the elytra also have 

 sharply-defined punctures, and by the punctures alone the 

 species may be distinguished from black males of other 

 species. The female is at present unknown. 



Cheiragra vittata, Macl. (formerly Phyllotocus). 



This species, as yet known only from the Cairns district, 

 was referred by Macleay to Phyllotocus, but the generic table 

 by Blackburn indicates that it belongs to Cheiragra, as 

 although the front claws of the male are less enormously 

 developed than is usual in the genus, the four hind ones are 

 much shorter than is usual in Phyllotocus, and each has a 

 conspicuous membranous appendage. The sharply-defined 

 pale vitta on each elytron of the male usually passes the 

 middle, and occasionally includes the preapical callus, but it 

 is sometimes much shorter; one specimen has the elytra 

 entirely black. The female differs from the male in being 

 rather more robust, the whole of the upper-surface shining, 

 and the front claws no larger than the others, but the elytral 

 margins are of the same shape. Of the six females before 

 me one has the upper-surface entirely dark, the second is 

 almost as dark but has the prothorax obscurely diluted with 

 red near the base, and the bases of the elytral vitta e 

 obscurely indicated ; the third has more of the base of the 

 prothorax pale, and the elytral vittae larger and almost con- 

 joined to form a triangle (the scutellum at the middle of its 

 base being dark) ; the fourth and fifth each have the pro- 

 thorax of a rather bright red, except for an apical and two 

 small lateral inf uscations ; the elytra have the apical third 

 (more at the sides) infuscated, the basal parts and the 

 scutellum being of the same shade of red as the prothorax ; 

 the sixth specimen is in the National Museum and has the 

 upper-surface entirely red. Lengths: 3 , 4-6'5 mm.; 

 9 , 5'5-7 mm. 



Cheiragra variabilis, n. sp. 

 PI. xxv., figs. 24 and 25. 



3 . Colours variable. Prothorax, elytra, sterna, and 

 abdomen opaque, owing to a conspicuous sericeous or pruinose 

 bloom. Prothorax and elytra with a thin fringe of pale hairs 

 or long setae, similar hairs on under-surface and legs. 



Head shining; with fairly dense and sharply-defined 

 punctures. Clypeus with slightly coarser punctures than 



