INSECT FAUNA. 85 



more strongly impressed than the others ; the apex of each elytron very 

 strongly and irregularly punctured. Underside piceous ; the sterna 

 moderately closely covered with long erect pubescence. Legs dark 

 castaneous ; the anterior tibia) obtusely trideutate, the others bicarinate. 

 Length 14—16 mm. 



Low-lying lands, at light ; also found in the vicinity of Sydney, New South 

 AVales. 



Isodox noctis, sp. nov. 



Elongate-ovate, rather robust, castaneous, shining, very convex ; prothorax 

 broadly transverse, smooth ; elytra rather strongly striate-punctate, the stria? 

 abbreviated posteriorly; pygidium finely and irregularly punctured at 

 the base. 



Head narrowed in front, rather strongly rugulose in front of the median 

 carina, which is moderately distinct, behind strongly and irregularly punctured, 

 especially near the sides ; the base smooth. Antennae castaneous. Prothorax 

 broadly transverse, strongly convex, somewhat narrowed in front ; the sides 

 strongly rounded ; the posterior margin somewhat impressed on each side of 

 the middle. Scutellum smooth. Elytra with the sutural stria finely punc- 

 tured and moderately strongly impressed, the punctures of the discal stria? 

 exceedingly coarse and somewhat irregular, the interstices moderately broad, 

 a broad impunctate interval between the sutural and the first discal stria; the 

 apex of each elytron moderately strongly and very sparingly punctured. 

 Underside pale castaneous ; the sterna thickly clothed with long silky 

 pubescence. Legs castaneous ; tibia? and tarsi inclining to pitchy ; anterior 

 tibia? tridentate, the others bicarinate. Length 16 — 20 mm. 



This species is evidently allied to Isodon Icevicollis, Macl., but may be 

 separated at once by the presence of the broad impunctate intervals on the 

 elytra between the sutural and the discal stria?, by having the sides almost 

 free from punctures, and the head smooth at the base. In I. laevicollis there 

 is an irregular row of punctures midway between' the sutural and the first 

 discal stria, and the stria? themselves are continued until they reach the 

 side ; the punctures in this species, although more irregular and much more 

 numerous, are not nearly so deep as in I. noctis. 



BUPKESTIDJE. 



Melobasis ptjbpueascexs, Fair. 



Melobasis purpurascens, ~F&hr\cius, Syst. EL, II, p. 217 — M. purpureosignata, 

 Lap. and Gory, Mon., pi. 2, fig. 9. 

 This species is not uncommon in Australia ; it is also found in Norfolk 

 Island. 



Melobasis emptbia, sp. nov. 



Coppery green, shining ; prothorax bright coppery, purplish on the disc ; 

 scutellum fiery copper ; elytra coppery, with purple reflexions, irregularly 

 striate-punctate, the third and fourth interstices obviously raised. 



Head nearly flat in front, coarsely and very densely punctured. Prothorax 

 at the base more than one-third broader than long, considerably narrowed in 

 front, rather strongly and sparingly punctured on the disc, the punctuation 

 at the sides much stronger and denser, the anterior margin slightly produced 

 in the middle, its angles produced and rounded; the sides rounded ; the pos- 

 terior margin nearly straight. Scutellum excessively finely punctured. 

 Elytra about twice as long as broad, coppery, inclining to fiery near the 

 suture and about the middle, rather strongly and irregularly striate-punctate; 

 the sides straight and nearly parallel for about two-thirds of their length, 



