IN THE BELGIAN CONGO. 115 



the basal margin forming a low straight transverse carina, the outer angles of which 

 are produced into a very short sharp point ; the upper surface with rows of large bare 

 transverse punctures, the intervals narrower than the punctures and hardly broader 

 than the interspaces between them ; each interval with a regular row of dark erect 

 broad apically-emarginate setae. Legs stout and without long hairs ; the anterior 

 pairs of tibiae normal, shallowly bisinuate internally ; the hind pair with the inner 

 face strongly flattened in the apical half, its upper edge being there carinate and the 

 lower edge finely denticulate, and the external apical angle not produced. 



Length, 4£-5f ; breadth, 2J-2f mm. 



$. The elytra are much more rotund and less narrowed behind, and the very convex 

 dorsal outline is steeper near the apex ; the hind tibiae are not flattened internally 

 and are more conspicuously denticulate. 



Length, 4£-5J ; breadth, 2f-3 mm. 



In general form like a small specimen of S.fossulatus, Klb., which has the base of the 

 elytra similarly constructed ; but the latter species differs in the following respects : — 

 the rostum is gradually widened from base to apex, the outer dorsal carinae are almost 

 parallel, the first joint of the funicle is distinctly longer than the second, the granules 

 on the prothorax are much larger and shiny, all the tibiae of the <$ are fringed beneath 

 with long silky hairs, the outer apical angle of the hind pair is produced into a broad 

 acute-angled process, etc. 



This weevil is abundant in cacao plantations, being especially injurious to 

 young plants in the nurseries. The injury is caused by the mature insect, which 

 devours the leaves, eating large portions out of them along the edges. Nothing is 

 known as to the early stages of this or the preceding species. 



Alcides theobromae, sp. nov. (fig. 3). 



§. Colour shiny black and almost bare above ; the prothorax duller, with a 

 transverse lateral band of pale recumbent hairs at the base and near the apex ; the 

 elytra with the following markings formed of similar hairs : a very small spot at the 

 shoulder and near the base of interval 2, a spot on interval 4 a little before the middle, 

 an irregular transverse row of spots behind the middle on intervals 2, 4, 6 and 8, and 

 a patch in the pre-apical depression ; the lower surface somewhat densely clothed 

 with tawny feathered scales. The markings are evidently very easily abraded. 



Head dull, finely aciculate on the vertex, the forehead with shallow confluent 

 punctation and shallowly impressed between the eyes. Rostrum about as long as 

 the front femur, moderately stout and almost straight, the dorsal outline straight for 

 three-fourths the length and then sloping gently ; the upper surface fairly closely 

 punctured throughout, but less so towards the apex, and without any furrows or 

 carinae, the punctures much larger and longitudinally confluent at the sides on the 

 basal half. Antennae stout and black ; the funicle with the two basal joints short, 

 1 longer and thicker than 2, 3-5 subequal and strongly transverse, 6 much longer than 

 5 and nearly quadrate, 7 hardly as long as the first two joints of the club, the first 

 joint of which is bare and shiny on its basal half. Prothorax a trifle shorter than its 

 basal width, broadest at the base, rather strongly narrowed in front, distinctly con- 

 stricted near the apex, the sides moderately rounded ; the dorsal outline very convex, 

 the downward slope of the front half being much steeper than any part of the elytral 



