412 



FAMILY CURCULIONIDAE 



the weevil would be more usefully utilized for rearing the lac scales. For 

 this reason the life history of this insect requires to be fully understood. 



As to treatment, in years of bad infestation, as was the case in 1901, it 

 should prove practicable in a lac plantation to lop off, collect, and burn the 

 galls containing the larvae in the monsoon months. This would stamp out 

 a bad attack. 



Alcides. 

 Alcides porrectirostris, ^Marshall, sp. nov. 



Referenxes.— IMarshall, Ana. Mcif;. Nat. Hist. Aug. (p. i88) 1913 ; Stebbing, Depart. Notes 



(Alcides sp.), i, 38 (1902). 



Habitat.— Bashahr State, North-West Himalaya. 



Tree Attacked. — Walnut {Jiiglans rcgia). Taklesh, Songra, Baghi, 

 Bashahr. 



Beetle. — The beetle is black in colour, without 

 scaling, with black antennae and legs, the latter 

 clothed with yellowish- 

 Description, brown hairs. Head closely 

 punctate, with a frontal 

 fovea. The rostrum is straight and porrect (espe- 

 cially in $), slightly widened apically, striolate at 

 base, strongly punctate in $, more finely in $. 

 Antennae medium-sized, fairly thick ; the scape is 

 thickened at the joint, and the funiculus ends in a 

 tliick o\'al knob. Kyes large and elliptical in 

 shape. Prothorax sub-conical, about as long as its 

 basal width, the sides almost straight, upper surface 

 with rather distant low granules, the apical area 

 rugose. Scutellum oval, shallowly impressed. Elytra 

 much broader than prothorax, shoulders very pro- 

 minent and roundly rectangular ; with regular rows of foveae, the inler\'als rather nanow, 

 irregular, rugose, and sparsely set with very short curxed pale setae. Body pubescent. Front 

 legs longer than the others, the tibiae with a single internal tooth at the basal third. Legs 

 coarsely punctate, femora comparatively slender with a fringe of long hairs beneath, and with a 

 long sharp tooth close to apex. Length, 8 mm. to gimm. ; breadth, 3 if mm. to 4 mm. 

 Fig. 279 shows a dorsal and side view of this beetle. 



Larva. — The larva when full-grown is a fat white grub usually more or less curved, with 

 twelve segments, tlic middle ones thicker than those at either end. Head small and bright 

 yellow-brown in colour. Length, J in. See fig. 279. 



Pupa. — Tlie iHif)a is of the ordinary curculionid sliape. 



The beetle appears on the wing at about the beginning of August, but 



at present it is not known when or where it lays its 



Life History. eggs. Larvae were found full-fed in walnuts in the first 



week in July, and it is therefore probable either (i) that 



the wee\il is to be found on the wing throughout the autumn, hibernating 



under bark or decaying leaves, stones, etc., on the ground, and coming out to 



lay its egg on or near the young 2 flowers of the walnut in March or April ; 



Fic;. 279. — .■l/c/(/i'.< porrectiroxtri.^., 



Mshl., sp. nov. Larva and beetle. 



Bashahr, North-West Himalava. 



