Coleopterous Sub-Family Byrsopince {Curculionidce). 65 



types merge gradually into one another. Thorax almost invariably 

 with a small white spot in the centre of the base. Head shallowly 

 punctured and without carinse. Bostrum punctured like the head, 

 the dorsal edges rounded. Prothorax slightly transverse dorsally, 

 sides not much rounded, broadest behind middle, apex scarcely 

 dilated ; upper surface with shallow reticulate punctures, and with 

 a shallow central furrow (both punctures and furrow being some- 

 times obsolescent) ; the anterior transverse impression with three 

 shallow foveas which are occasionally indistinct. Elytra oblongo- 

 ovate, shoulders rounded in $ , sloping in <y , sides slightly 

 ampliated, posterior declivity somewhat abrupt ; upper surface 

 almost plane on the disk, the punctuation variable, there being in 

 the type form three fairly regular rows adjoining the suture, but in 

 most cases these rows are more or less confused ; the lateral 

 punctures are irregular and shallower than those on the disk, be- 

 coming almost obsolete towards the margin ; intervals 6, 4 and 

 the apical half of 2 with rows of small subconical tubercles, those at 

 the top of the declivity sometimes rather larger than the others, 

 intervals 2 and 3 not, or scarcely, carinate at the base, 5 with a low 

 humeral carina. Legs with dense grey scaling and a few darker 

 spots, the posterior pairs of femora with a brown transverse band 

 beyond middle ; posterior tarsi slender, joint 1 not longer than 2, the 

 latter being twice as long as broad. 



Cape Colony : Constantia (F. Purcell), Eondebosch (L. 

 Peringuey). 



Type in the Stockholm Museum. 



A highly variable species but distinguished from all its congeners, 

 except B. tersula, Pasc, by its separated intermediate coxae. The 

 pale basal spot on the thorax is also rather characteristic, though it 

 occurs occasionally in B. lutosa, Gyl. 



2. Byesops tersula, Pasc. 

 B. tersula, Pasc, Trans. Ent. Soc. L. 1887, p. 331, pi. xi., fig. 8. 



Long. 4}-6i ; lat. 2^-3^ mm. 



Colour grey or pale brownish ; thorax usually with a broad lateral 

 stripe, and a narrower one on each side of the central furrow dark 

 brown ; elytra irregularly marked with dark brown towards the sides, 

 and with a narrow sutural stripe of dark brown extending beyond 

 the middle. 



Head, rostrum, and prothorax as in B. apicalis, Boh. Elytra 

 oblongo-ovate, shoulders narrow and sloping, sides slightly rounded, 

 posterior declivity quite abrupt ; upper surface with three regular 



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