STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 107 



The family has been divided into two sections, which are distin- 

 guished from each other chiefly by the character of the snout and position 

 of the antennae. 



Section I. Brevirostres. Short-snouts. 



Snout short and broad, seldom much longer than the head ; the fur- 

 rows on the sides of the head for the reception of the antennae extending 

 to the end of the snout; antennae inserted at or near the tip of the snout. 



Section II. Longirostres. Long-snouts. 



Snout usually much longer than the head, narrow and cylindrical ; 



furrows rarely reaching to the tip; antennse usually inserted at a greater 



or less distance from the end, generally near the middle and sometimes at 



the base. 



Brevirostres. (Short-snouts.) 



Ithycerus noveboracensis, Forst. New York Weevil. 



This species is the largest weevil found in our State, being rather 

 more than half and sometimes five-eighths of an inch long, including the 

 snout. The snout is short and slightly widened at the tip ; the antennae 

 are straight, not elbowed as usual in this family ; the thorax is much nar- 

 rower than the wing-cases and cylindrical. The general color is a dai;]k 

 ash-gray with faint whitish lines; on the wing-cases there are numerous 

 raised sharp black points. 



In the perfect state it occasionally troubles the horticulturist, killing 

 the twigs by gnawin'g off the tender bark in the early part of the season 

 before the buds have put forth, and, as stated by Prof. Riley, later in the year 

 it destroys the tender shoots which start out from the old wood by entirely 

 devouring them'. It eats the buds and frequently gnaws off the leaves 

 after they have expanded. It appears to prefer the apple, but also attacks 

 the peach, plum, pear and cherry in the same way. 



Prof. Riley has ascertained that it breeds in the twigs and tender 

 branches of the burr-oak. and probably in those of the pig-nut hickory. 

 The larvae, soon after hatching, are usually of a pale yellow color, head 

 brownish. 



As they drop readily when disturbed, they may be collected by jar- 

 ring the trees and catching them in sheets. But it is not likely they will 

 ever prove very troublesome. 



Spec. Char. Imago. — Front of the head and snout strongly deflexed, but not verti- 

 cal. Snout narrowest just in front of the eyes, widened at the tip ; a distinct, some- 

 what sharp, carina or ridge along the middle, which divides near the tip, and is a smooth 

 shining black. The thorax is cylindrical or barrel-shaped, wider than the head, but 

 much narrower than the elytra, width about equal the length ; thickly punctured and 

 finely granulate. Elytra squarely truncate at the base, the shoulder almost right-angled ; 

 sides nearly or quite parallel two-thirds their length ; striate, regularly and deeply punc- 

 tured in the striie or grooves, of which there are ten on each wing-case; on each case 

 there are from twelve to sixteen black spiny ])oints or shar[) tubercles. The general 

 color is an ash-gray, which is given it chielly by an ashy down with which it is covered. 

 On the thorax there is a faint median line of white, also on each side next the posterior 



