300 
HORN EXPEDITION—COLEOPTERA. 
Ptitirely cover the disc, and in others are almost wanting, also the lateral creuula- 
tions are not alike in any two specimens; the colour of the elytra varies from dark 
piceous to ferruginous, in some examples the elytra are more nitid than in others, 
and in some the sutural apex is more evidently spiniform than in others; the 
close granulation of the abdomen in some examples entirely covers each segment, 
while in other examples a small space in front of the apex of each segment (inde¬ 
pendent of the connecting membrane) is nitid ; and some of the examples are more 
depressed in form and smaller than others. The female is interesting on account 
of its great divergence from the male. It is unnecessary here to recapitulate the 
points of diSerence as they have been described (in respect of an allied species, 
E. Servillei^ Thoms.) by M. Thomson in his “ Syst. Ceramb.,” p. 304. They are 
so marked as to have led M. Lacordaire (Gen. Col., VIII., p. 110) to assert that 
M. Thomson must have been mistaken. I was already satisfied from examples in 
my own collection that M. Thomson was right, and these Central Australian 
specimens seem to place the matter beyond doubt. 
The extreme variability of this insect suggests the question whether it is 
possible that any of the other described species may have been founded on it. As 
regards E. Serviilei, Thoms., it is probably distinct, but as I have not to my know¬ 
ledge seen it I cannot give a decided opinion. E. {Afallodon) stigviosa, Newm., is 
unrecognisable from the description, but Mr. Gahan has published a note on it 
specifying characters none of which seem to me clearly specific. E. Odeivahni is, I 
think, distinct from the present species, although I can specify no constant reliable 
character except the presence of larger and nitid granules among the fine opaque 
granulosity on the sides of its prothorax, which seem to be never present in 
australis. Moreover, I find that it is in general smaller than australis (the largest 
specimen I have of it being scarcely so large as the smallest australis),, and that no 
example I have seen of australis is so depressed in form as my examples of 
E. Odeivahni. 
PHORACANTHA. 
P. recurva,, Newm. (1), Bagot’s Creek. 
P. quinaria, Newm. 1 (1), Possum Creek. This example seems to pertain to a 
common species, which I presume is quinaria, although the description is insufficient 
for confident identification. 
MICROTRACwUS. 
AT. maculatus, Blackb. (2), Alice Springs, Palm Creek. This species is very 
near AI. sticticus, Pasc., but differs from it by the external elytral carina not 
