700 On Aquatic Carnivorous Coleoptera or Dytiscide. 
1096. Kretes (Hunectes) australis, Er., M.C.—Testaceus, vertice nigro-signato, 
elytris punctis magnis nigris impressis; elytrorum humeris rotundatis, apice ad 
suturam acuminato, epipleuris angustissimis ; prosterno processu acuto. Long. 14, 
lat. 7 m.m. 
This species is closely allied to Dytiscus sticticus, but is really distinct; it is 
generally narrower in proportion, and has a more unicolorous appearance ; the 
posterior femora and tibia are more slender; the punctures of the elytra are even a 
little coarser than in D. sticticus, but they do not appear so conspicuously black, for 
the black colour is entirely confined to each puncture, whereas in Dytiscus sticticus, 
it generally also invades a small area round each puncture; the thorax is never 
marked with black ; the female has no trace of the depression at the edge of the 
wing-cases, and its thorax scarcely differs in form from that of the male. ‘There is 
generally to be seen a small black dot at the edge of the wing-cases, but it is 
much smaller than is usual in D. sticticus, and the black subapical fascia is generally 
entirely absent, but is sometimes faintly indicated. 
Australia, (Melbourne, Sydney, Paroo river, Port Denison, Cape York, West Australia). 955. 
II. 15.—Group Cysistrrini. 
Swimming legs highly developed and very powerful, their tibice especially short 
and broad, and with the lower of their two apical spurs dilated, so that it is much 
broader than (and frequently longer than) the superior one. The coxal notch of 
the coxal processes very short, scarcely to be detected from the exterior. 
Any water-beetle belonging to this group is very readily recognized, the swim- 
ming legs being different from those of any other of the Dytiscide, but the species 
are difficult to distinguish znter se; the specific characters are found in the size and 
form, and in the presence or absence of a yellow band along the outside of the 
wing-case ; this band may be nearly or entirely absent, or it may be present but 
leave the epipleura and its raised margin of the same dark colour as the rest of the 
surface, (in this case I speak of it as “ vitta intramarginalis,” or “vitta lateralis”), 
or the yellow band may be larger, so that it extends to and includes the epipleura 
(and in this case I describe it as “ margo externus testaceus”). The sexual cha- 
racters are also of great importance in distinguishing the species, and the front 
tarsi of the males should be carefully examined. In order to do this with satisfac- 
tory results they must be damped and cleansed, and then flattened out so as to 
place them in their natural position; when the tarsi have been rendered quite 
pliable, the specimens should be placed on a piece of cork covered with clean paper, 
and ihe tarsi flattened out and pressed down by means of needles pinned across 
them in as horizontal a direction as possible, so as to exercise pressure on the foot 
