218 INSECTS ABROAD. 



escence. On the under surface, the rostrum is toothed and 

 furnished with hairs. The eyes are situated close to the base, 

 and the antennae are set about one-third of its length from 

 the tip. 



The thorax is very narrow in front, and swells out rapidly to 

 the shoulders with a bold and graceful curve. It is yellow, but 

 with a shade of black, the reason being that the real colour of the 

 thorax is black, and that upon its surface are scattered a number 

 of yellow scales between which the original colour can be seen. 

 "Whether from friction or not I cannot say, but all the specimens 

 which I have examined have the scales much more thinly 

 scattered towards the basal angles of the thorax, so that there 

 the colour is darker than on the disc. The whole thorax is 

 rather Hat. 



The. form of the elytra is very curious. Together, they have 

 a sort of heart-like shape, the sides being rounded, and the 

 tips coming nearly to a point. For about one-third of an inch 



l'io. 106.— RMudstua peituaua 



(Yellow.) 



from the tips the elytra look as if they had been pinched flat 

 while soft, and had then become hardened. The remarkable 

 points in their structure are, however, at their bases. Each of 

 them is so deeply scooped that the basal angles form bold 

 teeth, which project well over the thorax, and are then cut into 

 a doubly waved outline, just like a bracket { in printing. 



The surface of the elytra is very flat, so flat, indeed, that the 

 tips do not seem to be very much depressed. Like the thorax, 

 they are covered with yellow scales, but much more thickly, so 

 that the colour is more determined, and looks something like 

 yellow cloth. As is the case witli many Weevils, the elytra are 

 very ample, and are bent over the body at the sides so as to 

 cover about half the abdomen. With many of the Weevils the 



