

TRANSACTIONS 





OF THE 



LINNEAN SOCIETY. 



I. The Genus Apion of Herbst's Natursystem considered, its Cha- 

 racters laid down, and many of the Species described. By the 

 Rev. William Kirby, F.L.S. 



Read June 4, 1805. 



I here are certain tribes of insects, the species of which are 

 so slightly marked by any apparent difference of size, shape, or 

 colour, that, for want of sufficient examination, many are set 

 aside as mere varieties, which, when they are minutely inspected, 

 exhibit characters very strong and discriminative. Amongst 

 these there are none more liable to be confounded, or that occa- 

 sion more trouble to the entomologist, who wishes to be accu- 

 rately acquainted with them, than those minute Weevils, which, 

 in Herbst's Natursystem, under the name of Apion, are consi- 

 dered as a separate genus from Curculio*: they constitute Mr. 

 Marsham's second section of his first division of his first family 

 of that genus^ and are arranged by Fabricius, and after him 



* Tom. vii. p. 100. tab. jji, 103. and Q, Jig. 6. 7. 8. 



f Viz. A. a. * *. Longifbstres Antennis integris femorilus simplicibus abdomine 

 evato acuto, rostrojiliformi, thorace teretiusculo. Nudiusculi. 



VOL. IX. B \yy 



