120 



Helcogaster aterrimus, n. sp. 



J . Black; second and third joints of antennae and 

 under-surface of first more or less reddish. With a few dark 

 hairs. 



Head wide, with a wide and deep excavation, its posterior 

 end obtusely bilobed; behind the excavation with small and 

 dense punctures. Prothorax near apex, slightly wider than 

 long, with a rather wide, subbasal depression. Elytra 

 moderately long; with numerous minute punctures. Basal 

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

 (6, 9), 2-2'25 mm. 



9 . Differs in having the head smaller, non-excavated, 

 and with uniformly dense punctures, antennae shorter and 

 thinner, and front tarsi simple. 



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

 Western Australia: Yilgarn (Blackburn's collection). Type, 

 I. 11897. 



At a glance apparently belonging to the preceding species, 

 but excavation of head of different shape, although almost of 

 the same size ; when viewed from behind the head appears 

 to have four small equi-distant conical elevations, the lateral 

 ones slightly larger than the others, and one touching each 

 eye, each lateral one, however, when viewed from the side 

 is seen to be a simple semicircle around the eye; in this it 

 differs distinctly from the following species, in which from 

 the side there appears to be a conspicuous elevation behind 

 the eye, and this elevation is connected by a narrow ridge 

 with a medio-frontal one. In my table it would be associated 

 with H . niger, from which it is distinguished by the different 

 excavation and somewhat thinner antennae. On the speci- 

 men from Yilgarn the middle of the side of each elytron is 

 pale ; on the type the pale portion is scarcely traceable. 



Helcogaster hoplocephalus, n. sp. 



c? . Black ; four basal joints of antennae, except upper- 

 surface of first, obscurely reddish. Vevj sparsely pubescent. 



Head wide, largely and irregularly excavated and 

 tuberculate; with crowded .punctures. Antennae compara- 

 tively short and stout. Prothorax slightly transverse, sub- 

 basal depression shallow and ill-defined ; with fairly numerous, 

 minute punctures. Elytra moderately long ; with small and 

 dense, fairly distinct punctures. Basal joint of front tarsi 

 with a small comb. Length ( <$ , 9)> 2*5-3 mm. 



9 • Differs in having the head nontuberculate, with 

 two feeble depressions in front, and a very feeble one between 

 eyes, antennae shorter and thinner, and front tarsi simple. 



