117 



Head with a wide shallow depression in front, triangu- 

 larly narrowed posteriorly and terminated level with hind 

 edge of eyes; with minute scattered punctures, more numerous 

 about eyes than elsewhere. Antennae rather short. Pro- 

 thorax about as long as wide; a deep, transverse, subbasal 

 depression, closed at each end. Elytra comparatively long, 

 sides inflated in middle ; punctures sparse, minute and 

 rugulose. Basal joint of front tarsi slightly lopsided, with a 

 small black comb. Length, 2 mm. 



Hah. — South Australia: Port. Lincoln (A. M. Lea). 

 Type (unique), I. 11903. 



The depression on the head, although from some direc- 

 tions appearing rather wide, could hardly be regarded as a 

 large excavation, as it is rather shallow, and it is almost simple.; 

 hence in my table the species might be associated with H. 

 obliquiceps and H. gagatiwus. Regarding the head as 

 largely excavated it would be associated with H. margin icoll is. 

 It is considerably narrower than H. flavipennis, impressions 

 of head and prothorax different, elytra longer, and , with 

 more of its base dark ; the dark portion has a somewhat 

 rounded outline, and is rather sharply defined. The basal 

 joints of antennae and base of prothorax are not as dark as 

 the adjacent parts, but the different shades of colour are not 

 at once apparent. The iuflation of the sides of the elytra 

 commences rather suddenly at the basal third. 



Helcogaster melas, n. sp. 



d 1 . Black; muzzle and three basal joints of antennae 

 obscurely flavous. With sparse, dark hairs. 



Head with a rather large, flattened elevation in front; 

 with crowded punctures. Antennae moderately long. Pro- 

 thorax moderately transverse, with a rather small subbasal 

 depression. Elytra comparatively long; almost impunctate. 

 Basal joint of front tarsi lopsided, with an inner comb. 

 Length ( d , 9), 2"25-3 mm. 



9 . Differs in being without an elevation on head, its 

 punctures more sharply defined in front, antennae somewhat 

 shorter, and front tarsi combless. 



Hah. — Victoria: Nelson (Blackburn's collection); South 

 Australia: Lucindale (F. Seeker). Type, I. 11895. 



The elevation on the head is somewhat bottle-shaped, 

 but the neck of the bottle is shorter than in H . bacchanalis, 

 and the two species are otherwise very different. The head, 

 when viewed from behind, appears to have a solitary median 

 tubercle, but this is not as thin as in H. parallelus, and from 

 above the head of that species is seen to be largely excavated ; 



