new Curculionida^ /rom South Africa. 155 



Subfamily Cleoninji. 



Genus Microlarinus, Hochh. 



This genus has not previously been recorded from the 

 Ethiopian region, though a South- African species was 

 described long ago by Gyllenhal under the name of Larinus 

 pi/osns. Tlie three species known to me are all natives of 

 the dry south-western districts of South Africa, and they 

 may be discriminated by the following characters : — 



Rostrum narrower at the apex than at the base; 



the dorsal outline of the elytra not hig'her at 



the middle than at the base. 



Elytra evidently broader than the prothorax, which 



is slightly broader than long- (11:12); the 



longest setfe on the elytra much longer than 



the scape, the alternate intervals bearing 



longer setfe than the others pilostis, Gyl. 



Elytra not or but slightly broader than the pro- 

 thorax, which is longer than broad (6:5); 

 the longest setaj on the elytra shorter than 

 the scape, those in the alternate rows not 



longer than the others am/nsfulus, sp. n. 



Rostrum not narrower at the apex than at the 

 base ; the dorsal outline of the elytra higher at 

 the middle than at the base brevirostris, sp. n, 



Microlarinus brevirostris, sp. n. 



Colour black, thinly clothed with short recumbent grey 

 hairs, which form a denser (and therefore paler) lateral 

 stripe on the prothorax and elytra, a similar short stripe at 

 the apex of interval 3, a short oblique line behind the 

 middle between strise 5 and 8, and a spot at the base of 

 interval 2. 



Head with very coarse, longitudinally confluent punctures, 

 the forehead not flattened, slightly convex, and not trans- 

 versely impressed. Rostrum stout, a little shorter than its 

 basal width, parallel-sided, and sculptured like the forehead. 

 Prothorax broader than long (9 : 10), broadest at the base, 

 and very gradually narrowed at the apex, the sides almost 

 straight ; the upper surface with very coarse punctures and 

 set with moderately long, erect, white setse. Elytra sub- 

 elliptical, distinctly broader than the prothorax, but the 

 shoulders very sloping and the sides very slightly rotmded ; 

 the dorsal outline more or less convex, lower at the base 

 than in the middle, owing to a shallow depression round the 

 scutellum ; the intervals flat, finely rugose, the first slightly 

 higher than the others and bearing, with the alternate 



