404 



FAMILY CURCULIONIDAE 



I took it a few days later defoliating Dalbergia panicnlata, and also found 

 the beetle on teak leaves, though I am unable to say whether it defoliates 

 this tree to any great extent. 



The following notes were recorded on the process of coupling : The 

 male is smaller than the female. The former gets on to the back of latter 

 in a quick rush, the insect being an active one. The $ then protrudes 

 from the extremity of the anal segment a shining brown chitinous 

 hornv sheath, which is bent downwards, scimitar-shaped. The $ then 



tips her body upwards into a hollow 

 cavity in the convex elytra, a con- 

 siderable space existing between the 

 '^'■-/' inner surface of the apical portion of 

 "^ the elytra and the abdomen. The 



end of the body is bent up into this, 

 Fig. 274. as if worked on a pivot near the basal 



Myllocerus discolor, Boh., \ar. -variegatiis, segment, at an angle of 6o°. This 

 Boh. Poena movement causes an opening to occur 



Under-surface of 2 • . , , , , ^ ■ , ■ 



Ahdomen of $ tipped up into elytral shell to JUSt below the posterior COxae (as m 

 allow $, to insert the penis. diagram), exposmg a white inner 



portion of the abdomen, which is wet 

 and glistening, as if oiled. When the body is in this position, the ^ is 

 apparently able to insert the penis, and this being accomplished, the body 

 of the $ gradually resumes its normal position, the ^ being then firmly 

 attached to the ?, about one-eighth of the brown hard shining sheath of the 

 penis being visible. 



Platvtkachelus. 



Platytrachelus juvencus, Fst. 



Reference. — Myllocerus acaciac, Stebbing, Depart. Notes, i, 184 1903). 



Habitat. — Poona, Bombay Presidency. 



Tree Attacked. — Acacia catechu. Bhamburda Reserve, Poona. 



Beetle.— A greyish, oblong weevil, clothed 

 above and below with short, fine, golden yellow 



hairs. Rostrum not 

 Description. quite as long as broad, 



thick, and slightly en- 

 larged at its tip. Scrobes (the grooves on the 

 proboscis) deep, and easily seen from above and 

 in front. Antennae placed anteriorly on pro- 

 boscis near its tip, long, and clothed with short 

 yellow hairs. Scape of antenna thickens ante- 

 riorly ; funiculus with first two joints long and 

 equal, third to seventh joints short ; club oval- 

 oblong and jointed. Eyes large. Prothorax broader behind than in front ; scutellum small. 

 Elytra almost flat in front, convex behind, detlexed to a point at their tips ; are set with 

 parallel longitudinal rows of fine punctures. Femora thickened ; third joint of tarsus bilobed. 



Fk;. 275. 



.Side and dorsal view of Platytrachelus 



juvencus, Fst. Poona. 



