Mr. J. Walton on the genera Oxystoma and Magdalis. 223 



diverging outwardly and terminating on each side in a deep sinus 

 for the reception of the antennae when extended forward ; the dcr 

 curved edges behind each sinus are much produced in the middle, 

 curved inwardly, and form the posterior edges of the fovese ; the 

 latter have between them a narrow longitudinal ridge; the rostrum, 

 when viewed at the sides, has the appearance of being bidentate 

 at the base ; the antennae are inserted at the under sides of the 

 rostrum near the base and within the fovese. 



Apion difficile of Herbst, of which I have specimens from 

 Germar, is a distinct species, but closely allied to O. fuscirostris, 

 and having the rostrum at the base, as described by Germar, bi- 

 dentate. 



I have taken many specimens of this insect in the Charlton 

 sand-pits, and at Shirley Common near Croydon, from the broom 

 (Spartium Scoparium) in October. 



2. O. Ulicis, Foster, Steph. 



Apion Ulicis, Marsh., Kirb., Germ., Curt., Schonh. 



This insect is densely covered with silvery gray elongate scales. 

 The female differs from the male in having the rostrum remark- 

 ably longer, the antennae distinctly longer and more slender, 

 and as a consequence the length of the articulations is extremely 

 disproportionate in the sexes. The rostrum at the base above and 

 beneath and its appendages are very similar to the preceding 

 species, but it differs in having the foveae strictly at the base, 

 with their external decurved edges considerably more dilated in 

 the middle, and when viewed laterally it appears to be acutely 

 bidentate ; the antennae are inserted at the under sides of the 

 rostrum near the base and within the foveae. 



Very abundant in Yorkshire and in the south of England on 

 the common furze ( Ulex europceus) from February to November. 

 Mr. George Luxford, by gathering (on the 1st of August) a num- 

 ber of the unopened pods of the common furze, found several 

 perfect insects of this species inclosed in nearly every one that 

 he examined. 



3. 0. Genista, Steph. 



Apion Genista, Kirb., Germ., Curt., Schonh. 



Densely clothed with silvery white and fawn-coloured elongate 

 scales ; the rostrum at the base is constructed like that of fusci- 

 rostris, and with a similar process, but the decurved edges of the 

 foveae in the middle are less produced, and consequently when 

 viewed in profile it appears indistinctly bidentate. 



I found this insect abundant on the north side of the Lake 

 House, Wanstead Flats, on Genista tinctoria in September, and 

 it is the only locality for it near London that I am acquainted 

 with; it appears to be very local and not frequently met with. 



