_Heterognathus carinatus_ was described by King from the nest of small black ants found in the neighbourhood of Parramatta; Lea has lately recorded it from the nests of ants (_Iridomyrmex nitidus_) taken in the Mallee country of North Western Victoria. He says: “It can be distinguished from all its congeners by the prothorax having a short longitudinal carina at the base, on each side of which is a transverse impression.” Family 10. Burying Beetles. SILPHIDAE. The typical European species are popularly known as Burying Beetles from the curious habit they have of excavating the ground beneath any small dead bird or animal they find, and finally burying it under the soil. This family contains a number of interesting beetles both large and small; the antennae are thickened or clubbed; the tarsi 4 or 5 jointed; and the whole dorsal surface flattened. They are poorly represented in this country, but there are several large distinctive species found about dead animals or decaying vegetable matter. A large number of blind Silphids are found in the caves of Europe and America, but I have never found any as Australian cave fauna. Thirteen species have been described from this country by a number of different writers, chief of which is Blackburn (Trans. Royal Soc. S.A. 1891–94). _Necrodes osculans_ comes from Queensland; I found it common about Cairns, feeding amongst decaying matter in the scrub. It measures over 1 inch; is a broad flattened beetle of a general black colour; the elytra mottled with dull orange, ribbed, and truncate at the extremity, showing the tip of the abdomen. The head is small, turned down in front, but furnished with large clubbed antennae; the thorax is finely punctured and rounded in front. _Ptomaphila lachrymosa_ is a dull reddish brown beetle, with the centre of the head and thorax black, the head small and somewhat hidden by the large flattened thorax; the elytra round, somewhat depressed; both marked with irregular parallel black ribs and bosses; they feed about dead animals. Length about 1 inch. In the following family, TRICHOPTERYGIDAE, only two species are described, one from Tasmania, and the other from West Australia. They are minute beetles with fringed wings, the middle joints of the antennae smallest. Family 11. Round Fungus Beetles. SCAPHIDIDAE. The members of this family are small, broad, short insects that live in fungus, and are very active. Macleay described several species from Gayndah (Trans. Ent. Soc. N.S.W. 1871): Reitter and other foreign writers have added to the list. _Scaphidium punctipenne_, though described from Queensland, is also found in the neighbourhood of Sydney. It is a small rounded seed-shaped insect, but with slender legs and slightly clubbed antennae; its upper surface is deep orange yellow irregularly barred with black. Family 12. Mimic Beetles.