TKI1510 XI. - BALAXIXI. 1*71 



other short-beaked species by the banded elytra as well as by the 

 characters given in key. It is the first short-beaked eastern species 

 described. Reared by Hamilton from acorns of bear or scrub 

 oak, QttercHS uana Marsh, a biennial-fruited species; and by 

 Brooks from chestnut oak, ( 4 >. jti'inus L., an annual-fruited 

 species. 



390 (- -). BAI.AMXUS BACUI.I Chitt, 1908-a, 20. 



Elongate-ovate. Sooty or brownish piceous; vestiture scant, composed 

 of short pale gray scales beneath; elytra with many small, dull brown in- 

 conspicuous scaly areas, or "almost black with a dusky gray aspect, due to 

 the short whitish hairs which are scattered thinly over the body." Beak 

 of female three-fifths as long as -body, more thickened at base; of male 

 slightly shorter, scarcely half as long as body. First joint of funicle longer 

 than second. Thorax one-fourth wider than long, sides almost parallel on 

 basal third then strongly converging and sinuous to apex; disc densely and 

 rather finely punctate. Femoral tooth small, acute, with entering angle 

 weak and rounded. Male pygidium with long tuft of yellowish hairs; fifth 

 ventral with a very small apical bare area, showing the margin with a tuft 

 of hairs each side. Length 5.5 7.5 mm. 



Lake, Starke and Laporte counties, Tnd., scarce; June 1'S 

 Oct. 24. Occurs from New York to Michigan and Nebraska south 

 to Alabama. Infests acorns of Qttcrcus aUxi, rrj/i/ina and other 

 oaks, including most biennial-fruited species. (Cliiilcndcn.} 

 "Bred from the acorns of all the biennials in about equal num- 

 bers." (Hamilton.} This species is known in many collections 

 and is cited erroneously in part by Horn. Blanchard, Hamilton 

 and others, as unlformls Lee., which is a Pacific (."oast species. 

 The following form we regard as a variety of Ix/ciili. 



B. curt us Chitt., 1908-a, 21. Smaller with wider elytra and paler scales; 

 beak distinctly shorter, more slender, not so abruptly recurved at apex. 

 Length 5.7 7 mm. Occurs in Texas and Florida; reared from acorns of 

 velutina and r libra. 



391 ( -). BALAXIXUS I-IUMERALIS Casey, 1897, 657. 



Very stout and thick. Dark reddish-brown, rather densely clothed 

 with nearly uniform pale clay -yellow scales; thorax piceous. Beak of female 

 nearly as long as body, of male as long as elytra, slender and curved 

 throughout in both sexes. First funicular joint longer than second, the 

 first four joints decreasing rather rapidly in length. Thorax short, fully 

 one-half wider than long, sides subparallel and feebly curved from base to 

 apical fourth, then rounded and sinuate to the tubulate apex. Elytra two- 

 fifths wider and twice as long as thorax, sides rapidly converging from 

 the prominent humeri. Male with pygidium convex, punctate, hairy: fifth 

 ventral narrowly and feebly sinuate at tip, its surface feebly impressed, 

 subtumid each side near apex. Length 5-5 6.5 mm. 



