Mr. J. Walton on the genus Otiorhynchus. 445 



larva of Echinaster Sarsii, which is preserved in the museum of 

 M. Christie in Bergen, anything more than what has been de- 

 scribed and figured by M. Sars. 



At the time when these larvse have developed the star-fish of 

 the AsteriaSj the arms of the larvze still being present, their great- 

 est diameter is two-thirds of a line. Two pairs of tentacles are 

 developed in each of the five rows of tentacles. But no trace of 

 aperture can be recognised in the centre of the ventral side of 

 the star-fish. If the oral aperture of the larva, as I suppose, exists 

 between the four arms of the larva, the mouth of the Asterias is 

 formed independently of the supposed mouth of the larva. The 

 most central and lowest tubercle, situated between the four other 

 bulbous warts, has a slightly rounded and somewhat basin-shaped 

 aspect. Although these larvse are absolutely larger than the larvse 

 of the Ophiurce and Echini, nevertheless they appear to contain 

 little or no skeleton within them. From their perfect opacity and 

 uniform red colour, I endeavoured to render their skeleton visi- 

 ■ ble by dissolving the animal parts in caustic potash, but this pro- 

 ceeding did not bring into view any portions of a skeleton. 



The supposition of Sars, that the warty appendages of the 

 larva of the Asterias, by means of which it adheres to the marsupial 

 cavity of the mother, are subsequently transformed into the ma- 

 drepore -plates, does not appear to me probable. These appendages 

 are evidently the same as the four symmetrical supports of the 

 body of the larva of the Echini and the appendages of Piuteus ; 

 in both they disappear entirely, without being transformed into 

 any other organ, and the young Echinus loses them before the 

 madrepore-plates can be distinguished. Moreover the Echinoid 

 larvse which I last described possess so many arms on their body 

 and on so many spots which are partly opposite, that a conver- 

 sion of them into the subsequent madrepore-plates is impossible, 

 on account of the situation which these arms occupy on the an- 

 terior, posterior and lateral part of the larva. 



XLVI. — Notes on the genus of Insects Otiorhynchus, with 

 descriptions of new species. By John Walton, F.L.S. 



[With a Plate.] 



Fam. CURCULIONlDiE. 



Genus Otiorhynchus, Germ., Schonh., Steph,, Curt. 



§ A. Femora dentate. 



1. Otiorhynchus Ligustici, Linn., Mus. Linn., Marsh., Gyll., 



Steph., Schonh. 



Rare, or very local; Mr. Smith found three specimens on 



Hawley-fi.at, near Blackwater, Hampshire, in June. Frequently 



