some Australian Curculionidae. 463 



The peculiar clothing and entire absence of elevated parts 

 on the elytra are at variance with Melanterius ; but many 

 species of Diethusa have similar interstices, so 1 have referred 

 it to the latter genus. The second segment of abdomen is, 

 if anything, a trifle longer than the third and fourth com- 

 bined, but only about half the length of the first. Although 

 the white scales are numerous on the upper surface, they are 

 nowhere condensed into distinct spots. The type is probably 

 a male. 



Diethusa tenuirostris, sp. n. 



c? . Blackish brown ; antennse, legs, and tip of rostrum 

 reddish. Densely clothed with sooty-brown scales, with 

 numerous spots or patches of whitish scales; btcoming 

 almost uniform on under surface and legs. 



Rostrum long, thin, find parallel-sided to insertion of 

 antennae, thence narrowed to apex ; with coarse concealed 

 punctures behind antennae, smaller and clearly defined iu 

 front of same. Scape inserted two-fifths from apex of 

 rostrum, somewhat shorter than funicle ; first joint of 

 funicle slightly longer than second. Prothorax moderately 

 transverse ; with dense, normally concealed punctures. 

 Ekjtra subcordate, base moderately trisinuate, basal half 

 parallel-sided ; with suboblong punctures, in narrow deep 

 striae ; interstices M-ider, nowhere ridged, with dense and 

 rather coarse, but normally quite concealed, punctures. 

 Basal segment of abdomen feebly concave iu middle ; apical 

 segment widely impressed. Femora rather stout, edentate. 



Length 2 mm. 



? . Differs in having the rostrum longer and much thinner, 

 clothed only at extreme base, almost impunctate, almost 

 entirely red, and antennse inserted quite close to its base. 

 Abdomen with basal and apical segments convex, and femora 

 somewhat thinner. 



Hab. New South Wales : Sydney. 



The rostrum is conspicuously different sexually, much as 

 in many species of Storeiis. The clothing, although of 

 different shades of colour, has the peculiar soft appearance 

 of that of mo//i5, but that species has conspicuously dentate 

 dentate femora. In the present species the hind femora 

 appear to have a feeble ridge that causes them to appear 

 feebly dentate from certiin directions, but it is not a real 

 tooth. From inermis it differs in its much smaller size and 

 very different clothing, rostrum of the female thinner, but 

 nut subulate, &c. 



