322 CURCULIONID.2E. 



Subfamily V. BALAXTNIDJE. 



[LeConte. 



The single genus which constitutes this subfamily has been heretofore 

 arranged as a tribe, in the vicinity of AntJionomini. It differs, however, from 

 that tribe, as from all other Coleoptera, known to me by the movement of the 

 mandibles being vertical instead of horizontal;* the mandibles are short, pyr- 

 amidal and acute, and the condyle is on the upper side; the teeth seen in most 

 Curculionidae are wanting; the inner edge is mor.,' convexly curved than the 

 outer, so that in the ordinary position, the points seem slightly divergent. In 

 general appearance, as well as by the extension of the mesothoracic epimera, 

 so as to give an oblique outline to the elytra near the base, this subfamily 

 seems to me to approach Centrinus more than Anthonomus ; the result of 

 this obliquity is that the tenth elytral stria commences at the margin, oppo- 

 site the anterior end of the metathoracic episterna, as in all Barini. 



The beak attains in length and attenuation the greatest development; in 

 the tf it is rarely shorter than the body; in the it is frequently twice 

 the length, and is used to make the perforation into which the egg is sub- 

 sequently introduced. The great thickness of the husks of the fruits 

 (chestnuts, walnuts, hickory nuts, &c.), depredated on by these insects, 

 necessitates a very long perforating instrument to reach the kernel, upon 

 which the larva feeds. 



The mouth organs are small, the gular peduncle very long and narrow. 

 The antennae are inserted a little before the middle (^), or behind the 

 middle (9) of the beak, and are very long and slender; the funicle is 

 7-jointed; the first joint is either longer or shorter than the second, and the 

 outer joints are gradually a little less elongated; club elongate-oval, pointed, 

 annulated and pubescent. Eyes rather large, flat, nearly rounded, finely 

 granulated. Prothorax rather long in front of the coxae, which are contig- 

 uous; broadly emarginate in front, without postocular lobes; pronotum 

 rapidly narrowed in front, sides rounded, base slightly bisinuate. Scutel- 

 lum distinct. Elytra narrowed behind, tips separately rounded, pygidium 

 more or less exposed. Side pieces of mesothorax attaining widely the base 

 of the prothorax, and truncating the humeral outline of the elytra; meta- 

 thoracic episterna narrow, dilated in frqnt. First ventral segment longer 

 than the second, and closely united with it; the others are nearly equal in 

 length. Middle COXOB moderately distant, hind coxa? widely distant, not 

 attaining the elytral margin. Legs long, thighs clavate and strongly 

 toothed in our species; tibise slender; truncate at tip, not mucronate ; 

 tarsi dilated, claws divergent, toothed. 



BALANINUS Germ. 



I have nothing to add to the excellent synopsis of oar six species given 

 by Dr. Horn, as above cited. 



B. porrectus Boh., Sch. Cure, vii, 292 still remains unknown. 

 *Horn, Proc. Am. Phil. Soc., 1873, 457. 



