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PROCEEDINGS

OK THE

opi .^arkto of §ictiuti

VOL. XXIX. (Nkvv Skriks).

PARTS I. AND II.

Edited under the Autiwriiy of the Council.

ISSUED OCTOBER, 1916, am/ MARCH, igi?.

(Containing Papers read before the Society during IQI6).

THK AUTHORS OK TilR SEVERAL PAPKRS ARK INDIVIDUALLY RESrONSIBLK FOR TIIK

SOUXDXKSS OK TIIK OPINIONS GIVEN AND FOR THE ACCURACY OF THE

STATEMENTS .MADE THEREIN.

MEriMOUL'NE: FORD & SON, PRINTERS, DRUMMOND STIiKKT, CARLTON.

1917.

CONTENTS OF VOLUME XXIX.

Art. I. New Genera ami Species of Australian Hemiptera. By Dr. E.

Bergroth, C.M.Z.S., Lond. ... ... .. ... 1

II. Heteropterous Hemiptera collected by Professor "\V. Baldwin Spencer during the Horn Expedition into Central Australia. By Dr. E. Bergroth, C.M.Z.S., Lond. ... ... ... 19

III. The Petrology of the Silurian Sediments near Melbourne. By

W. G. Langford,B.Sc. ... ... ... ... ... 10

IV. The Palaeontological Sequence of the Lower Ordovician Rocks in the Castlemaine District. (Part I.) By W. J. Harris,

B.A. (Plate I.) 50

v.— New or Little-known Victorian Fossils in the National

Museum. (Part XIX. The Yeringian Gasteropod Fauna).

By Frederick Chapman, A.L.S., &c. (Plates II.-VIJ ... 75

VI. Description of a New Genus and two New Species of Victorian

Marine MoUusca. By J. H. Gatliff and C. J. Gabriel.

(Plate VII.) 104

VII. Additions to and Alterations in the Catalogue of the Marine

Shells of Victoria. By J. H. Gatliff and C. J. Gabriel. 106 VIII.— Oscillatory Adjustments in the Animal Body. By W. A.

Osborne, M.B., D.Sc. ... ... ... ... ... 115

IX. The Wet-Bulb and Kata Thermometers. By W. A. Osborne,

M.B., D.Sc. ... ... ... ... ... ... 119

X. On the Probable Environment of the Palaeozoic Genu^ Hercy-

nella in Victoria. By Frederick Chapman, A.L.S., &c. ... 123

XI. Reptilian Notes : Megalania prisca, Owen, and Notiosaurus dentatus, Owen ; Lacertilian dermal armour ; Opalized remains from Lightning Ridge. By R. Eth bridge, Junr.

(Plate VIIL) 127

XII. New or Little-known Victorian Fossils in the National Museum. (Part XX. Some Tertiary Fish-teeth). By Frederick Chapman, A.L.S. &c. (Plate IX.) ... ... 134

XIII.— Contributions to the Flora of Australia, No. 25. By Alfred

J. EwART, D.Sc, Ph.D., &c. ... ... ... ... 142

XIV. A Disease or Teratological Malformation of Lucerne. By

Ellinor Archer, B.Sc. (Plate X.) ... ... ... 150

XV.— On the Age of the Alkali Rocks of Port Cygnet and the D'Entrecasteaux Channel in S.E. Tasmania. By Professor Ernest W. Skeats, D.Sc, A.R.C.S., F.G.S. ... ... 154

XVI.— Teratological Notes : Part 2. By A. D. Hardy, F.L.S. (Plates

XI.-XIII.) 165

Index ... ... ... ... ... ... ••• ... 174

M

[Proc. Rot. Soc. Victoiua. 29 (N.S.), Part 1., 191(5].

Art. I. NrAv Genera and Sj^ecies of Australian Hemij^tera,

By dr. E. BERGROTH, C.M.Z.S., Lond.

(Couunuiiioated by Professor W. Baldwin Spencer, F.R.S.)

[Read 9th March, 1916.]

In a paper published many years ago^ I have described a number of new Australian Hemiptera communicated to me by Mr. Charles French, of Melbourne. Of the material sent to me by Mr. French I had retained for further study a number of sj^ecies, partly tjelonging to difficult groups, and among them I have found some forms wliich are undescribed and of which descriptions are given in the present paper. One new species of Myodochidae belongs to a genus hither known only as Palearctic, and of the three new genera of this family here descril^ed two are remarkable by showing a de<:-idedly closer affinity to Palearctic than to !ndo-Australian genera, but this is probably due to our imperfect knowledge of the Myodochidae of the Oriental and Australian regions, the members of this family being of small size and much neglected l)y collectors.

Fani. PENTATOMIDAE.

EUMECOPUS VERMICUr.'^TUS, n. sp.

Oval, ochraceous, head above with six percurrent fuscous or partly dark ferruginous stripes, beneath witli four not well-marked pale fu.scous stripes, pronotal cicatrical areas mottled witli pale fuscous, an impressed spot between ocelli and eyes, and basal half of the postfrenal jiart of the scutellum black, connexivum traversed through its whole length by a piceous band, pleural evaporative area tinged with ferruginous, membrane blackish-fuscous, the outer veins paler towards apex, abdomen beneath with a broad percur- rent sublateral ferruginous band which inwardly is rather diffuse and disintegrated into small spots, and with a median vitta on the sixth segment and the basal lobes of the female genital segment ferruginous, spiracles fuscous; first two antennal joints dark san- guineous, base of basal joint pale ochraceous, third joint pale reddish., its apical half (except extreme apex) black (last tAvo joints wanting), ro.strum dark testaceous, last joint piceous, legs purplish-red.

Proc. Roy. Soc. Victoria, vii., pp. 287-302 /1835).

2 E. Bergrotk :

femora toward the base ochraceous, l)iit witli some longitudinal rows of subconfluent purplish spots, tibiae al)ove toward the l)ase with an ochraceous streak, tarsi pale reddisli. apex of last joint infuscated; above rather thickly punctate with fuscous or l)lack, the points largely placed in transverse irregularly waved oi- tor- tuous dark ferruginous or brownish lines, head inqjunctate but with the dark stripes punctulate, a niediuui line to pionotuni (narrowed toward base), a small callus at basal angles of scutelluni, apical half of its postfrenal part, and veins and costal margin of corium impunctate, the piceous connexival vitta punctulate, pleurae rather sparingly punctured with fuscous, on posterior half of propleurae with black. Head slightly broader than long and a little shorter than pronotum in the middle, juga at apex somewhat convergent over the clypeus a little before its apex, hist antennal joint about two-thirds the length of the head and passing its ajjex by more than the half, second joint half the lengtli of first, third ih times longer than second, the articulation between the second and third joints distinct, but not admitting of free mobility, rostrum somewhat passing base of abdomen, its second joint a little shorter than third and fourth together. Pronotum with the lateral margins broadly and slightly sinuate, their apical third minutely denti- culated, basal margin slightly sinuate, humeral spines short, directed outwards, their anterior margin forming a straight con- tinuation of the pronotal lateral margins. Scutellum. with the post- frenal part a little longer than broad and parallel in the middle. Hemelytra passing apex of abdomen by almost one-third tlie length of the membrane, corium reaching beyond middle of last connexival segment, its apical margin slightly sinuate behind the middle. Abdomen a little broader than the closed hemelytra, the apical angles of the segments right-angled, moderately prominent, venter irregularly finely striolate and finely remotely punctidate, impunc- tate in the middle, the median furrow rather broad but shallow, reaching apex of fifth segment, the distance between the exterioi- margin of the sublateral ferruginous vittae and the lateral margins of the abdomen occupying one-third of the distance between the spiracles and the abdominal margins, basal lobes of female genital segment somewhat rugose and sparingly granulate. Length (excl. membrane), ? 20 mm.

Queensland.

Somewhat related to E. ritf i rent ris, Stal. but with very much shorter second antennal joint, anteriorly denticulated pronotal lateral margins, and different colour-markings.

New Genera and Species of Australian Hemiptera. o

EUMIiCOPUS ADVERSIDKNS, 11. Sp.

Elliptical, above purplish brown, thickly punctate, seven .stri}K's to head, two spots before middle of pronotum and its lateral margins as far as to base of humeral spines, a callus at basal any:les of scutellum and more than the apical third of its postfrenal part, costal and apical margins of corium, its veins, a jaggered vilta in tho exocorium and in the basal half of the mesocorium, a spot tehind middle of mesocorium emitting a narrow vitta obliquely forwards to the cubital vein and two less distinct vittae backwards to the apical margin, and several mottlings to pronotum, scutellum, and mesocorium pale ochraceous and impunctat<.\ cou- nexivum red, its exterior margin ochraceous interrupted by black at the incisures, membrane black, the exterior veins whitish grey toward apex; beneath ochraceous, head with a faint brownish vitta along the bucculae, pleurae and venter punctate with pale reddish brown, posterior part of propleurae more darkly punctate, middle of venter and its lateral borders as far as to the pale spiracles impunctate, a spot at basal and apical angles of the segments black, basal lobes of female genital segment infuscated; rostrum testaceous, last joint piceous, legs purplish red, coxae, trochanters, base and two or three streaks of femora, and a broad more or less complete subbasal annulation to tibiae ochraceous, last two tarsal joints pale red. Head longer than broad and slightly longer than pronotum in the middle, clypeus a little longer than juga, apical tooth of bucculae directed forward and somewhat out- ward, and very slightly downward, largely visible from above, black at tip, rostrum reaching base of fourth ventral segment, second joint distinctly longer than third and fourth together; (antennae wanting). Pronotum with the lateral margins rather deeply arcuately sinuate, their apical third finely crenulatei, humeral spines rather long, directed outwards and a little forwards and upwards. Scutellum shorter than head and pronotum together, the postfrenal part a little longer than broad and narrowing fioni base to apex. Hemelytra passing apex of abdomen by more than one-third the length of the membrane, apical margin of corium slightly sinuate near middle. Abdomen very slightly broader than the closed hemelytra, ventral furrow rather deep, reaching apex of fifth segment, basal lobes of female genital segment rugose. Length {eicl. membrane), ? 17.5 mm.

West Australia.

A well-marked species coming nearest to E. acanthopifgius, Stiil. ,^^iv^i£i,,_^^ but easily distinguished by many characters. j/^'!\^^^ n /

juj L I B R A R

4 E. Bergroth:

POECILOMETIS ELLIPTICUS, 11. Sp.

Elliptical, above ocliraceous, rather thickly but not regularly punctured with dark fuscous or blackish, head with the lateral margins from eyes to apex of antenniferous tubercles and four per- current vittae black, the outer vitta on each side broad, paler on the juga, and on the vertex longitudinally divided by an ochraceous line near its inner margin immediately inside tlie ocellus, the- inner vitta on each side narrow, juga entirely punctate, but punc- turation on vertex arranged in three rows on each side, the ochraceous parts of the head, the pronotal lateral margins (nar- rowly), a callus at the basal angles of the scutellum, somewhat less than the apical half of its postfrenal part, and the outer margin of the connexivum impunctate, membrane fuscous-black with whitish veins; teneath luteous, a sublateral vitta to anterior half of propleurae, two round spots at base of front acetabula, one round spot at base of middle acetabula, spiracles, and a ring surround- ing them black, head finely and sparingly punctured with brown, pleurae punctate with fuscous, blackly and more coarsely so on the metapleural evaporative area, venter coarsely but very remotely punctate with black, the punctures becoming fuscous in the centra of the disk and toward the lateral margins; rostrum and legs testaceous, last joint of the former piceous. femora and tibiae spotted with fuscous, last tarsal joint fuscous. Head as broad as long and as long as pronotum in the middle, rostrum reaching middle of second ventral segment, its second joint subequal in length to the last two joints combined; (antennae wanting). Pro- notum with the lateral margins obtusangularly sinuate before middle, their apical third bluntly and obscurely crenulated, the humeral angles a little prominent, almost right-angled. Scutellum as long as head and pronotum together, the postfrenal part almost one- half longer than broad, narrowing from its base, rather narrowly rounded at apex. Hemelytra passing apex of abdomen by a little less than half the length of the membrane, apical margin of corium straight. Abdomen l^ehind* the middle slightly broader than the closed hemelytra, the apical angles of the segments a little promi- nent, right-angled, ventral furrow reaching apex of fifth segment, broad and shallow, almost obliterated in the fifth segment, sixth' male ventral segment in the middle somewhat shorter than the two- preceding segments together, male genital segment very deeply sinuated, the bottom of the sinuosity arcuate, filled up with a pale- membrane. Length (excl. membrane), <? 14 mm.

New Genera and Species of Australia ii Hemiptera. 5

Queensland.

Apparently allied to the insufficiently deseiibed I', uin'for/iiis Sellout., but Avithout the eonspieuous black inipunctate area of the <orium, and remarkable by the eoarse puneturation of the evapora- tive areas and venter.

POECILOMETI.S GIBBICEPS, U. sp.

Rather broadly oval, luteous, above rather thickly but not uniformly punctured with dark fuscous or blackish, head mostly not or very sparingly punctate, Init with four densely punctulate dark fuscous stripes, the outer one on eacli side percurrent, the two inner stripes only extended through the vertex or much less dis- tinctly indicated before it, six more or less distinct longitudinal stripes to pronotum and two oblong spots to mesocorium, all com- posed of more thickly set dark punctures, the outermost pronotal stripe placed close to the lateral margin, the next on each side oblique, subparallel with the sublateral stripe, the two median stripes forming a straight continuation of the outer stripes of the head, the anterior mesocorial spot placed just before the middle at the cubital vein, the posterior spot a little behind the middle at the radial vein, two apical spots to pronotum extended to the posterior margin of the cicatrical areas, and a more or less distinct vitta to anterior half of mesocorium sparingly punctate, lateral margins of pronotum (narrowly), a pronotal median vitta (very narrow or obliterated in the posterior half), a callus at l)asal angles of scutellum, an almost percurrent median vitta to it (sometimes longitudinally punctate in the middle) and its apex (broadly), the veins of the corium. its apical and costal margins (the latter at least from base to middle), and exterior margin of connexivum impunctate, membrane blackish with whitish veins, head beneath extremely finely almost concolorously punctulate, only the bucculae and a small area adjacent to their posterior part punctured with fuscous, pectus with a fuscous sublateral streak in the anterioi- half of the propleurae and with an irregular sublateral spot to mesu- pleurae, an oblong exterior spot to the evaporative area, and a triangular spot at interior end of this area plumbeous, all pleurae (including acetabula) more or less sparsely punctate with fuscous, a subquadrate spot adjoining the base of the four anterior acetabula and the space between tlie exterior margin of the irregularly rugose but impimctate? evaporative areas and the lateral margin of the metapleurae impunctate. abdomen Ijeneath with the extitine

(> E. Bergroth:

apical angles of the segments infuscated and with a small subim- pressed comma-shaped fuscous spot immediately })efore and sliglitly on the inside of the spiracles which are also often narrowly encircled by fuscous, the ventral surface finely and sparsely punctate with brown, the punctures darker and more aggregated inside the level cif the spiracles where they form a longitudinal band largely inter- rupted in tlie basal half of the segments within the spiracles by a transverse subtriangular exteriorly truncate spot in which the very fine punctures are colourless, as they also are in the median part of tlie disk and in a broad percurrent sublateral vitta inwardly reaching the spiracles, the ventral puncturation sometimes almost entirely concolorous. the only remains of the darkly punctate intra- spiracular vitta being a few fuscous points forming a curved vitta lietAveen the basal margin of the segments and the interior end of the transverse impression beginning l>ehind the spiracles, and a small transverse cluster of fuscous points of the apical margin of the segments; antennae (at least the three first joints), rostrum (except the piceous apical joint), and legs dark testaceous, femora and tibiae finely dotted with brown. Head a little broader than long, and about one-fourth shorter than pronotum in the middle, clypeus a little longer than juga, narrowing from base to near apex, its apical j^art deflected, juga with their apices approaching each other over the clypeus behind its apex, the apical part of their inner margin almost perpendicularly deflected (a character well seen from the front), vertex gibbous, first antennal joint rather stout, slightly curved, somewhat shorter than head and passing its apex by about three-fourths its own length, second joint one-third shorter than first, third twice the length of second (last two joints wanting), rostrum reaching base venter, first joint reaching base of head, second slightly shorter than the last two together. Pronotum with the lateral margins almost straight or very slighly sinuate, their anterior third very obscurely crenulated, humeral angles a little prominent, right-angled. Scutellum subecjual in length to head and pronotum together, the postfrenal part distinctly longer than broad, narrowing from the base. Hemelytra slightly passing apex of abdomen, costal margin of corium straight near the base, then ampliately rounded, apical margin straight. Abdomen broader than the hemelytra, beneath somewhat flattened in the middle, but witli the ventral furrow only reaching middle of third segment, fourth and fifth ventral segments in the male a little before the median part of the apical margin with a transver.se series of stiff hairs ai-ising fi'om minute brown points, sixth male ventral segment

New Genera and Species of Australian Hemiptera. 7

in the middle as long as the two preceding segments together, its basal margin obtusely subangular in the middle, male genital segment constructed much as in P. ellipticus, but with the lateral margins of the sinuosity more distinctly rounded. Length, $ 13 mm., $ 14.5 mm.

Queensland; West Australia.

A very distinctive species, readily recognised by the structure of the head, etc. In the shape of the body it is somewhat similar to P. edtvardsti, V. Duz., but is still broader and laterally more rounded.

Judging from the various localities it is distributed throughout Northern Australia.

Paramenestheus abditus, n. sp.

Oblong-oval, drab-coloured, above rather thickly punctured with dark fuscous, exocorium appearing lighter owing to its finer and paler puncturing, inner margin of juga, a vitta on clypeus con- tinued to base of head, two broader short basal vittae to head between ocelli and eyes, the pronotal cicatrical areas, a subquadrate callus near basal angles of scutellum on the inner side of the black foveae, a median vitta in basal half of scutellum, two parallel vittae in its apical half not reaching apex and continued divergently from middle of scutellum toward its base, the lateral margins of its postfrenal part the veins of corium and clavus, and a vitta in apical half of mesocorium not far from the radial vein impunctate and generally paler, the postfi-enal lateral margins of the scutellum and the radial vein much paler, whitish, a spot at inner end of pronotal cicatrical areas and at apex of scutellum, and a vitta on the mesocorium close to the postero-median part of the radial vein composed of sulxionfluent blackish points, membrane greyish, the veins scarcely darker, spiracles and extreme basal angles of the ventral segments fuscous, head beneath punctured the same as above, pleurae with two percurrent vittae composed of aggregated blackish points and separated by a rather broad very remotely punctate band, the exterior vitta with closer and darker punctures, and bordered on its outer side with an irregular inter- rupted impunctate vitta, lateral border of propleurae subbiseriately punctate, venter mostly impunctate, but on each side with a black- punctured posteriorly evanescent vitta forming a continuation of the inner pleural vitta, and with a faint trace of a similar aub- lateral vitta. sixth ventral segment punctured with fuscous in its

S E Benjrotk:

posterior median part; antennae brownish rufescent, their first two joints, the rostrum (except the piceous apical joint), and the legs pale testaceous, femora and (less distinctly) tibiae dotted with fuscous. Head and antennae constructed as in the type of the genus (P. ierricolor Bredd.), rostrum leaching middle of metasternum, second joint twice longei- tliau the last two joints together. Pro- notum at apex distinctly broader than head, apical angles produced in a very short apically tiuncate lobelet, lateral margins somewhat laminate and a little rounded. Scutellum shaped as in the typical species. Hemelytra slightly passing apex of abdomen. Sixth male ventral segment in the middle as long as the fifth and half the fourth together, its basal margin rounded; male genital segment moderately ascending, the apical margin depressed, trisinuate, the lateral sinuosities very .shallow, the median one much deeper. Length, 3" 0.5 mm.

Queensland.

Apparently coming nearest to P. senioni, Horv., l)ut with some- what shorter head, much darker three last antennal joints, different colour markings, differently sculptured scutellum, and otherwise punctured venter; the male sexual characters are probably also different, but this sex of P. senioni is .still unknown.

Fam. MYODOCHIDAE. (Iktes, n. gen.

Body subovate, beneath transversely sti-ongly convex, .someAvhat compressed. Head shoiter than broad and Ijroader than apex of pronotum, a little longer than anterior lobe of pronotum, innnersed to the eyes, clypeus slightly longer than jviga, ocelli placed very near the eyes, antenniferous tutercles perpendicularly descending, contiguous to the eyes and ending .slightly beneath the level of their lower angle, antennae rather long and slender, all joints linear, first joint passing apex of head by half its length, second twice the length of first, third one-fourth shorter than second, fourth as long as third, thicker than the two intermediate joints, buccidae very short, rostrum reaching middle of metasternum, first three joints subequal in length, fourth shorter, l)asal joint i-eaching 1)ase nf head, longer than fiist antennal joint. Piouotum tiapezifoiin. twice as broad as head, transversely impressed a little before mithile and with a depressed apical collar, all margins straight, only tlje narrowly sublaminate or, rather, carinate lateral margins very slightly rounded near apex. Scutellum as long as broad, with a

New Genera and Species of Australian Heniiptei-a. II

slightly raised smooth median line. Corium with the costal margin straight in its basal fourth, then somewhat ampliately roviuded, apical margin straight, shorter than the claval suture, radial vein furcate behind the middle, forming an elongate triangular apical ■cell; clavus with four rows of punctures and somewhat confusely punctate between the tAvo median rows which join before middle of ■clavus, proceeding as a single row to its base, tlie commissure as long as the scutellum. Posterior angles of metai^leurae acute. Venter of the female with the fifth segment extremely short in the middle. Front femora a little thicker than the others, unarmed; middle and hind tibiae with a row of spine-like bristles beneath.

This genus does not seem to have any near ally among the described tropical genera, Init is closely related to the Mediter- ranean genus IlyaJochilus. Fieb. , from which it differs in having the eyes a little less prominent beyond the pronotal apical angles, the bucculae shorter, tlie first antennal joint produced farther beyond the apex of the head, the second joint longer, the fourth not fusiform, the scutellum shorter, the front femoi-a less slender, etc.

GkTKS FUSCICKPS, n. Sp.

Head dark fuscous, clothed with extremely fine and short recum- bent white hairs, clypeus testaceous, still paler at the tip, pronotum and corium (with clavus) stramineous, rather thickly and finely punctured with ferruginous or brownish, anterior lobe of pronotum (excepting apical and lateral margins and a longitudinal intilian line) the abdomen ferruginous, iinpunctate, pronotal lateral margins testaceous with a small stramineous spot at the ends of the transverse impression, scutellum testaceous. brown-i)unctuicd. the median line and a sublateral vitta stramineous, impunctate. the apex fuscous, corium with a faint l>rownish spot just lieliiiid middle of costal lx)rder and with the apical angle fuscous, mem- brane whitish, between the veins with fuscous streaks and sjiots. pectus piceous, punctate, propleurae paitly paler; antennae, rostrum, and legs testaceous, last antennal joint fuscous, apex of femora stramineous preceded by a fuscous annulation in tlie two posterior pairs, the spine-like bristles oi the four posterior tibiae black. Hemelytra reaching apex of abdomen, corium with the -costal border and veins impunctate, near the claval suture with the two ordinary punctulate lines, the smooth space between these lines broadest a little behind the middle and with a few punctures at •this place. Length. $ 3.8 4.4 mm.

10 E. Bergroth :

Tasmania.

The hind tarsi are not visible in the carded specimens, but as the first joint of the middle tarsi is only as long as the two other joints combined, it is probably not much longer in the posterior tarsi. In one specimen the pale impunctate sublateral vittae of the scutellum are lacking, but this specimen is abnormally developed also i)i other respects

DiEUCHES DISTANTI, n. sp.

Black, clavus (except the black base) fuscous, posterior part of propleurae, and the abdomen castaneous, lateral borders of pro- thorax from before middle of anterior lobe to a little beyond apex of posterior lobe, an abbreviated median line and a spot on each side of this to posterior pronotal lobe, apex of scutellum a promi- nent basal streak at exterior margin of clavus and a much shorter streak at the oj^posite claval margin, basal half of corium (excluding a vitta at middle of claval suture, a median suffusion, and an oblong costal spot, -which are fuscous), a large triangular costal spot in apical half of corium, a small spot at exterior basal angle of membrane, and a large rounded apical spot to it, epipleura of corium (except two oblong fuscous spots), posterior angle of meta- pleura, and a lateral spot to fourth and fifth abdominal segments whitish; antennae, rostrum (except the testaceous two intermediate joints), and legs fuscous, a broad subbasal annulation to fourth antennal joint, trochanters, base of front femora, and a little les* than basal half of middle and hind femora whitish. Head impunc- tate, as long as anterior pronotal lobe, ocelli placed near eyes, first antennal joint a little longer than anteocular pai't of head and passing the apex Iw half its length, second joint about double the- length of first rostrum reaching middle coxae. Pronotum as long as broad, the laminate lateral margins reaching the base, anterior lobe finely and sparsely punctate, more than one-half longer than the posterior lobe which is rather coarsely and thickly punctate,, basal margin straight. Scutellum somewhat indistinctly punctate.. Corium in its basal half finely punctured (mostly in rows) Avith fuscous, the white preapical costal spot finely and sparsely punc- tate with pale fuscous, its anterior margin transverse, the posterior margin oblique. Prosternum Avith a conspicuous foveate impression on each side of the base of the acetabular fissure, finely transversely strigose and minutely sparsely punctate, anterior prosternal border and posterior part of propleurae coarsely and thickly punctate-

Nevj Genera and Species of Australian Heniiptera. 1 1

Abdomen almost glabrous, the pale lateral spot of the fourth segment oblong, that of the fifth subquadrate. Anterior femora moderately incrassated, beneath biseriately spinous almost down their whole length, anterior tibiae in the male armed beneath with about four acute tubercles; intermediate femora {^) beneath in the basal half with a few spines; first joint of posterior tarsi about three times longer than the two other joints together. Lengthy $ 7.8 mm.

West Australia.

Notable by having (at least in the male) also the middle femora spinous beneath ; not nearly allied to any descril^ed Australian species. The eyes are red in the type, but this character cannot be relied on in dry specimens.

Named after Mr. W. L. Distant, to whom we owe so much of our quantitative knowledge of the Australian Hemiptera.

Paradrymus, n. gen.

Body ovate, someAvhat depressed above, strongly transversely convex beneath, distinctly punctate all over except on the ventei-. Head broader than apex of pronotum, equal in length to anterior pronotal lolx>, very slightly exserted, as long as broad, clypeus- conspicuously produced Ixjyond the juga, eyes globose, strongly prominent, but not large, the very small ocelli placed behind the level of the posterior margins of the eyes, about as far from them as from the median line of the head, the space between eyes and apex of antenniferous tubercles a little shorter than the eyes. bucculae small, rounded, throat horizontal, antennae long and slender, first joint passing apex of head by about one-third its length, second the longest, third and fourth subequal in length, each of them longer than first, rostrum slender, reaching Ijeyond hind coxae, first joint distinctly longer than first antennal joint, almost reaching base of head, second subequal in length to the last two put together, third much longer than fourth. Pronotum subgradiially narrowed from base to a little beyond middle, then more strongly rotundately narrowed to apex, transversely dis- tinctly impressed somewhat behind the middle, at apex with a distinct but narrow linear collar, at base more than two times broader than head, lateral margins narrowly laminate but more broadly so at the ends of the transverse impression where they are angularly dilated inwards and very slightly sinuate exteriorly, basal margin almost straight, anterior lobe somewhat convex, pos-

12 E. Bergroth:

terior IoIh? with a longitudinal inipiessiou in the middle of its anterior half. Seiitelluni equilaterally triangular, its basal half with a triangular, medially somewhat impressed elevation emitting A keel to the apex. Presternum about as long as meso- and meta- .sternum together; posterior margin of metapleura straight, form- ing a right angle w'ith the lateral margin. Hemelytra entirely <'overing the abdomen, corium with the median vein distinct in its* apical part, obliterated toward the base, the costal margin straight in its basal third, then somewhat ampliately rounded, apical margin straight, shorter than the claval suture, clavus with three rows of punctures, its commisstire shorter than half the length of the scutellum. the next inmost vein of the mend^rane curved strongly inwards in its basal half. Abdomen with the connexivum reflected, the sutures of the three basal ventral segments cienulate, fourth segment anterioidy with two sublateral glandular sjpots Vmt witli no such spot near the posterior margin, sixth male ventral segment deeply emarginate at apex with the apical angles very acute, male g;enital segment with a small oblong tubercle near apex. Front femora incrassated, beneath in the whole apical half longitudinally impressed, the impression terminated on its anterior side by a row of very small thick-set teeth with one much larger tootli in tht middle of the row, in the male moreover provided with a small tubercle at the basal end of the impression; all tibiae almost bare, without spine-like bristles, front tibiae straight, in the female triangularly a little dilated at apex, much more strongly so in the male, wliich has the dilatation angularly inflected and armed with ii spur beneath; first joint of hind tarsi about one-half longer than the two other joints together.

This genus is on the whole more related to Uri/i/ias, Fieb., wliicli is chiefly represented in the Palearctic i-egion, than to any other •descrilied genus, and in its general aspect it is also rather similar to that genus, from which it differs mainly by the longer head with more projecting clypeus and longer rostrum, by the structuie of the scutellum, the differently curved costal margin of tlie corium, the lack of distinct foveae in front of the fore acetabula, the shajje ■of the sixth male ventral segment, and the somewhat differently armed fore femora.

Paradkymus exilirostris, n. .sp. Black, finely and very thickly subgranularly punctate, posterior lobe of pronotum and sometimes corium pale testaceous, some- Avhat less densely punctured with fuscous, but corium usually

Neir Genera and Species of AnstraUan Hemiptera. V-^

fuscous with two sjjots on exocoriuni and three spots (one median and two apical) on niesocoriuni testaceous, the apical and the narrow laminate lateral margins of pronotum dark testaceous, j^aler at the ends of the transverse impression, membrane fuscous, the veins and a few more or less distinct spots testaceous, abdomen beneath indistinctly punctulate, its lateral borders paler, sometimes the whole venter brown, antennae fuscous, apical half of last joint (except extreme apex) pale testaceous, rostrum and legs testaceous, femora fuscous. Second joint of antennae not quite twice, and third joint one-half longer than first. Rostrum nearly reaching apical margin of second ventral segment. Pronotum more than one-half broader than long. Hemelytra reaching apex of abdomen. Sixth male ventral segment in the middle somewhat longer than fifth. Length, <? $ 4.8 5.6 mm_ Queensland; Victoria.

Taphropkltus australis, n. sp. Head ijlack. finely and very thickly punctate, sliglitly longer than anterior pronotal lobe, the postocular part very short, antennae rather stout, a little longer than half the length of the body, the first two joints testaceous, second two-thirds longer than first, the last two joints fuscous, third a little shorter than second, fourth as long as third, reddish at apex, rostrum testaceous, reaching^ middle of mesosternum. Pronotum distinctly transversely im- pressed Ijehind middle, anterior lobe black, finely and ve*'y thickly punctate, with a round foveate median impression before the base and on each side between this and the lateral margins with a smaller somewhat obsolete foveola, almost one-half longer than the l^osterior lobe which is stramineous, finely and more sparsely punc- tulate with brown, longitudinally sliglitly impressed in the middle of its anterior half, Avith five dark fuscous vittae, one in the middle and two oblique ones on each side starting from the same point near the humeral angles, the narrowly laminate not sinuate pro- notal lateral margins Avhitish. Scutellum black, finely punctulate,. the apex, the apical end of the median keel, and a lateral vitta white, these vittae beginning a little before the middle and becom- ing narrowly linear posteriorly where they join the apex. Corium and clavus stramineous, the former almost impunctate, only in the basal half (mostly along the veins) Avith a few very small brownish {)unctures, the veins, a somewhat sinuous submedian fascia (not entering the clavus), and an oblong spot at the apical angle dark fuscous, the two ordinary punctured lines near the claval" suture.

14 E. Be.rgroth:

aiul the two t'xterior ones of the three Himihir claval lines placed extremely close to each other both on the corium and on the clavus, all these five lines composed of very small points; membrane varie- gated with whitish and fuscous, the veins pale. Body beneath piceous, almost impunctate, acetabula pale ferruginous. Legs stramineous, all coxae and the fore femora pale ferruginous, the latter with a spine a little in front of the middle and a row of very small teeth between the spine and the apex, fore tibiae almost straight. Length, ? 3 mm.

Victoria.

This fine little species is somewhat similar to the Mediterranean T. nervosus, Fieb. , but the posterior pronotal lobe is more marked with fuscous vittae, the antennae are differently coloured, etc.

The genus Taphropeltus, Stal, was hitherto known only from the western Palearctic region, but seems to be widely dispersed in the Old World. I have an undescribed Taiihropeltus from Java, and Scolojiostethus putoni, B. White, from New Zealand, probably belongs here, as Buchanan White compares it with Sc. contractus, H. Sch., which is a Taphropeltus.

Myooara, n. gen. Body elongately ovate. Head a little shorter than pronotum. slightly broader than the pronotal apical collar, but a little nar- rower than the pronotum just behind the collar, immersed almost to the eyes, Tinpunctate, distinctly longer than broad, the anteocular part also longer than broad, triangularly produced in front of the antennae, acute at apex, clypeus scarcely longer than juga, the sj^ace between eyes and base of antennae shorter than an eye, the small ocelli almost contiguous to the eyes, throat horizontal, bucculae very short, semicircular, antennae rather long and slender, first joint passing apex of head by half its length, second twice as long as first, third somewhat shorter than second and a little longer than fourth, which is not thicker than the others, rostrum reaching far beyond base of venter, first joint as long as first antennal joint, l>ut not reaching base of head. Pronotum (in the brachypterous form) but a little broader than long, at the base almost twice broader than head, gradually a little narrowing from the base to near apex, where it is rather strongly roundedly narrowed to the depressed ■collar which is separated from the impunctate anterior pronotal lobe by an impressed punctate line, the lateral margins narrowly •depressed, not sinuate, apical and basal margins straight, the some- what convex anterior lobe twice as long as the thickly punctate

Ne-w Genera and Species of Australian Hamiptera. 15

posterior lo}>e which is depressed, especially in the middle. Scutel- lum distinctly longer than broad, ahnost flat, punctate. Hemelytra in the brachypterous form reaching base of last dorsal segment, apical margin of corium rounded, clavus and basal half of corium coarsely and thickly punctate, apical half of corium more super- ficially and sparingly punctate, clavus with the puncturation arranged in four rows, the commissure as long as the scutellum, radial vein only reaching middle of corium, basal half of exocorium with a single row of close punctures, the apical half fused with the mesocorium owing to the abbreviated radial vein, membrane rudi- mentary, appearing only as a narrow coriaceous strip attached to the apical margin of the corium.. Pectus punctate. Abdomen impunctate, last female dorsal segment with the apical margin angularly sinuate in the middle, fourth ventral segment with two sublateral glandular spots near base and a third one behind the middle, fifth female, ventral segment very short in the middle. Front femora somewhat incrassated, beneath in the apical half with two small spines; middle and hind tibiae with a few stiff bristles; first joint of hind tarsi twice as long as the two other joints together.

Type: Rhypakochromus acuminatus, Dall.

Allied to the Neotropical genus Esuris, Stal (as represented by its type^), from which it differs by the very long rostrum, the longer scutellum, the much longer hind metatarsus, and by having the radial vein of the corium very distinct in its basal half; from the Indian genus Lna, Dist., it is distinguished by the less incrassated and less convex subglabrous body, the narrower, apically more pointed head, the much less transverse pronotum, the narrower scutellum, the (basally) very distinct radial vein, and by having the basal joint of the antennae produced much beyond the apex of the head.

The species upon which tliis genus is fouink'd has slood for many years in our catalogues among the " species incerti generis," and Distant says nothing of it in his revision of the Hemiptera of the British Museum, although he must have seen the type.

Myocara acuminata, Dall.

Queensland.

Apart from some generic characters detailed above, I have little to add to Dallas's description which fits the specimen before nie so well that I feel sure of the identity.

1 The Guatemalan A', purpurata, Dist., is possibly an Esurig, but that the North Ainerioaii K. astanta, Barb., does not belon{f to this genus is clear from several characters.

1»; E. Bergroth:

Tlw impressed points of the upper side of tlie body Ijear a very small round whitish scale, visible only when viewed vertically from above. The last antennal joint, which is missing in Dallas's type, is pale testaceous. The tergum of the abdomen and the female genital segment are castaneous. The apex of the femora is of the same testaceous colour as the tibiae and tarsi. The male is still unknown.

I know only the brachypterous form of this in.sect, but Dallas had before him both this form and an immature specimen of the macropterous form. Although he does not mention it, I suppose that the macropterous form has the pronotum somewhat broader at the base with comparatively shorter anterior lobe, the ocelli a little larger, and the corium less rounded at apex. It is probal>le that Esuris and Lva also are pterygo-dimorphous, as the Australian genus Euonder. Stal, has proved to be.

Fnni. HENICOCEPHALTDAE.

SysTKLLODERKS AETflERIUS, n. Sp.

Smooth, shining, subglabrous, darkish testaceous, hemelytra and abdomen opaque, the foi'mer fuscous, the latter greyish brown, somewhat mottled witli pale testaceous, pubescent, more longly pilose at and near apex, rostrum and legs pale testaceous, sparingly shortly pilose. Head as long as the pronotum in the middle, basal lobe slightly broader than long and a