126 



The clothing, except on the antennae and parts of the rostrum, in 

 most places is so extremely dense and in addition is usually so plas- 

 tered with mud (or perhaps an exudation) that it is very difficult to 

 make out even the outlines, nor is it at all easy, on account of tiie 

 minute size of the specimens, to ahrade them so as to see the sculp- 

 ture clearly, this heing especially the case with the antenna? and 

 legs. I have not heen able to see the side pieces of the mesosternum 

 sufficiently well to describe them; eacii side piece of the metaster- 

 num appears to be very narrow and to disappear anteriorly without 

 the inner projection of so many weevils, at its posterior end, 

 however, it blocks the hind coxfe from touching the elytra. The clo- 

 thing of the abdomen is so dense that its sutures are normally 

 quite concealed, although they are unusually deep and wide. On 

 several specimens of both species there appears to be a small pygi- 

 dium, but judging by others of tlie same species this is due rather 

 to the tipping up of the apical segments of the abdomen, rather than 

 to its being a true pygidium. The separation of the front coxae is 

 more pronounced in cristata than in hituberciilata. Tne distance 

 separating the hind coxae is rather less than tlie length of the basal 

 segment of abdomen. Each claw joint under a Coddington lens cer- 

 tainly appears to be terminated by a single claw, and under a com- 

 pound power it also appears to be so terminated, but it is by no 

 means easy to see it clearly. There ai)pears to be a small scutellum, 

 but it is normally quite concealed. 



Repeated examination, under a compound power, of the antennae 

 of several specimens of both species has convinced me that the 

 funicle is six-jointed only; but it is by no means easy to define each 

 joint. The first, however, in both species is noticeably longer and 

 stouter than tne following one, wliich is also longer but not stouter 

 than the third, and is so closely attaclied to it that the funicle some- 

 times appears to be only five-jointed. In cristata the funicle is some- 

 what longer and thinner than in bituherciilata. 



663. FERGUSONIA CRISTATA n. sp. 



Rlack, appendages more or less reddish. Very densely clothed with 

 muddy brown scales; interspersed with a tew stout whitish setae. 



Rostrum longer than prothoi'ax; witti dense punctures, but nor- 

 mally visible only in front of antennal insertion. Proihorax modera- 

 tely transverse, with a strong oblique impression on each side of 

 apex; punctures small and normally quite concealed, ii^iyira not 

 much longer than wide, sides parallel to apical third; with rows of 

 very large, deep, subquadrate punctures, normally quite concealed ; 

 third interstice raised and connected with suture by a transverse 

 carina near summit of posterior declivity. Length 1 3/4-2 1/4 mill. 



