68 MANDIBULATA. COLEOPTERA. 



with white pubescence: elytra moderately convex, with a transverse im- 

 pression before the middle, deeply punctate-striated, the interstices convex, 

 somewhat rugose transversely : legs entirely black. 

 Var.? /3. Ta. nitidulus. Steph. Calal. 162. No. 1655.— More glossy than the 

 preceding, with the margins of the thorax concolorous, the scutellum snow- 

 white. 



Frequently taken within the metropolitan district : also found in 

 Norfolk and Somersetshire. " Not uncommon on willows and alders 

 (near Swansea)." — L. W. Dilhvyn, Esq. 



Genus CCXCIX. — Balaninus, Germar. 



AntenncB geniculated, 12-jointed, long, slender, inserted behind the middle of 

 the rostrum ; funiculus 7-jointed, its two basal joints longest, subclavate, or 

 obconic, the remainder short, obconic; club oblong-ovate, distinctly arti- 

 culated, or ovate and subsolid. Rostrum very long, fiUform, and slender, 

 bent: eyes depressed, large: thorax oblong, subconic: scutellum rounded, 

 elevated : elytra united, somewhat triangular, or subcordate, the apex of each 

 rounded : legs stout, rather long : femora clavate, sometimes dentate ; tibice 

 with the apex rounded-truncate, excavated, the anterior armed with a very 

 minute hook within. 



The very long, slender, bent rostrum of the insects of this genus, 

 combined with their subtriangular, pubescent body, the structure 

 of the articulations of the antennae, slight armature of the anterior 

 tibise, form the more prominent characters of the genus ; the larvse 

 of which are nucivorous. 



A. The pygidium, or apex of the abdomen, not covered by the elytra. 



Sp. 1. Nucum. Niger, subdepressus, dense Jlavescenti-villosus, antennis pedi- 

 busque ferrvgineis, rostro extrorsiim, rufo. (Long. corp. 3 — 5 lin.) 



Cu. Nucum. Linne. — Ba. Nucum. Samouelle, pi. \\.f. 20. — Ba. Nucum. Steph. 

 Catal. 162. No. 1657. 



Slightly depressed, black, densely clothed withjlavescent or griseous pubescence, 

 with deeper shades and irregular fascite : head furnished with a very long and 

 slender rostrum, which is outwardly rufous ; thorax subcarinated : scutellum 

 flavescent or whitish : elytra punctate-striated, the interstices thickly rugu- 

 lose : body beneath also pubescent, with the pubescence very dense on the 

 anterior angle of the breast : legs dull ferruginous, with the joints somewhat 

 piceous; femora acutely dentate: antennte dull ferruginous. 



Very variable in the colour of the pubescence, but the rostrum in both sexes 

 appears longer than in the following species. 



