2 PEOOEEDTNGS OP THE NATIONAL MUSEUM Vol 77 



sertion of the antenna, as in the case of genera having long rostra, 

 is nearly always nearer the apex in the male than in the female, but 

 in small lots of a given species this character is difficult of observa- 

 tion, mainly because of imperfect mounting which does not show 

 the point of insertion clearly. 



The first abdominal segment is usually more or less distinctly 

 convex in most females, but quite frequently is flat, or nearly so, as 

 in the males. In the male of concavus this segment bears a distinct 

 median elongate concave impression. In few other species is such 

 a difference discernible ; and the only apparent differentiation in 

 certain small species, marginatus for example, is to be looked for 

 in the rostrum and antennal insertion. In some females of this 

 species the first ventral segment is feebly convex, and in some nearly 

 flat or even feebly impressed. The sexual characters which have 

 been mentioned are for the most part comparative, the exceptions 

 being the presence of distinct abdominal impressions and the point 

 of insertion of the antennae. 



It naturally follows from w^hat has been said that because of the 

 extreme variations it is frequently a very difficult matter to describe 

 adequately many species, as well as to indicate the sex in those species 

 where only one or two examples are available. 



The species are mostly of medium or large size; a few are small. 

 Many are covered naturally with a dense vestiture, squamulose, scaly, 

 or hairy on the disk of the elytra, but becoming longer, denser, more 

 hairy, and paler or yellow at the sides, and frequently forming 

 distinct lateral bands or vittae, especially on the prothorax. The 

 pollinose coating of fresh specimens, varying in color from yellowish 

 to red, is a form of this vestiture w^hich is occasionally but not usually 

 persistent in specimens that have been properly treated. In the case 

 of the larger species, the chitinous structure is of such firm con- 

 sistence that it is difficult to impale specimens by means of an ordi- 

 nary insect pin. 



DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES 

 LIXUS ALBISETIGER, new species 



Elongate cylindrical, four times as long as wide, moderately com- 

 pressed, black, antennae, tibiae and tarsi red; vestiture extremely 

 fine, gray, very short, moderately dense on sides of elytra but not 

 forming vittae. Head finely punctate, especially at vertex, inter- 

 ocular fovea small. Rostrum of female fully as long as the pro- 

 notum, slender, evenly cylindrical, distinctly, evenly arcuate; sur- 

 face nearly covered with fine hair-like scales, punctation fine, dis- 

 tinct and very dense throughout, somewhat coarser at the sides. 

 Second funicular joint equal to or slightly longer than first, not so 



