678. 

 ORCHESTES WALTONI. 



Order Coleoptera. Fam. Curculionidae. 



Type of the Genus, Curculio Alni Linn. 



Orchestes ///., Oliv., Scho., Curt. — Salius Schr., Germ. — Rhyn- 

 chsenus Fab., Gyl. — Curculio Linn., Mars. 

 Antenna: generally as long as the rostrum, and inserted in a 

 cavity on each side (7), more or less removed from the eyes, 

 sometimes near the centre, geniculated, capitate, pilose and 11- 

 jointed, basal joint stout, sometimes long and clavate, 2nd half 

 as long, thick and clavate, 3rd rather shorter, slender and clavate, 

 4th oblong, 3 following obovate, the 7th being stouter and more 

 globose, the remainder forming a pubescent ovate- conic club, 

 composed of 4 joints, 1st cup-shaped, 2nd as large, 3rd short, 

 4th small and semiovate (6). 



Mandibles subtrigonate and tridentate, the upper tooth generally 

 the smallest, the lower one sometimes rounded (2). 

 Maxilla short and narrow, densely ciliated internally. Palpi 

 very short, slender and triarticulate (3) . 



Mentmn long. Lip suborbicular. Palpi minute biarticulate (4). 

 Head small ; rostrum inflected, elongated, stout, curved, subcylindric 

 (7 ^ pi'ofile) : eyes large, globose, generally approximating in front 

 (7). Thorax ovate, the base bisinuated : scutel very minute. Elytra 

 often twice as broad as the thorax, elongate-ovate, shoulders promi- 

 nent. Wings ample. Legs, anterior approxi7nating, hinder formed 

 for leaping : thighs stout, 4 anterior with a minute tooth beneath, 

 hinder greatly incrassated, ovate-conic, the margin beneath from the 

 end to the apex denticulated and bristly : tibiae, anterior clavate, with 

 a minute claw at the apex, intermediate pectinated externally towards 

 the apex, with a claw also (5 *) ,• hinder doubly pectinated toivards 

 the apex and truncated obliquely (5 f) ; tarsi 4-jointed, hairy beneath, 

 basal joint elongate clavate, 2nd shorter somewhat obtrigonate, 3rd 

 broad and bilobed, 4th as long as the 1st, slender and clavate : claws 

 curved, acute, with a tooth near the base. 



Waltoni Curt. — Guide, Gen. 351. 



Black clothed with short yellowish hairs ; head and thorax 

 thickly punctured ; rostrum reaching to the anterior coxse ; eyes 

 approximating ; antennae inserted near the base of the rostrum 

 (7 and 7 *) ferruginous, club piceous at the apex, basal joint 

 obovate, stouter but not longer than the 2nd : funiculus 6- 

 jointed ; elytra with 8 punctured furrows on each and minute 

 punctures between them ; hinder thighs alone angulated be- 

 neath and furnished^with a few short bristles ; tarsi ferruginous, 

 piceous at the apex. 



In the Cabinets of Mr. Walton and the Author. 



Minute as these insects are, they have the power by the com- 

 bined action of myriads to destroy the verdure of the finest 

 groves, and to give an autumnal tint even in the commence- 

 ment of summer to the green woods which they assail. 



