Phyllobius, Polydrosus and Metallites» 13 



2. Phyllobius Alneti, Fab., Steph. 



— Pyri, Gyll., Schonh. 



— cnides, Marsh., Kirb. MSS. 



— angustatus, Kirb. MSS. 



Very closely allied to the preceding, from whicb it maybe di- 

 stinguished in having the scales subelliptical, the antennae and 

 its joints shorter and stouter, the scape scarcely reaching to the 

 base of the head, the third and fourth joints of the funiculus di- 

 stinctly shorter and stouter, the thorax broadly and deeply con- 

 stricted in front ; the scutellum triangular, with the apex acumi- 

 nated ; the legs generally black, sometimes dull rufo-ferruginous 

 or piceous. The greater part have the scales green or bluish- 

 green, very rarely of a brassy-copper; occasionally specimens are 

 found of a dull ash-gray, but I have never seen one of a fiery 

 coppery-gold. 



Found abundantly upon the common stinging-nettle [Urtica 

 diceca), and on Umbelliferce at the sides of hedges in June. 



3. P. Pyri, Linn. (Mus. Linn.), Marsh. 



— vespertinus, Fab., Herbst, Schonh., Kirb. MSS. 



— Mali, Fab.. Herbst, Marsh., Gyll., Steph., Ku-b. MSS. 



— amaurus. Marsh., Kirb. MSS. 



This insect, which has some resemblance to the two preceding, 

 may at once be discriminated by having the basal joints of the 

 funiculus of the antennae shorter and of equal length ; it is va- 

 riable in its habits : when found on trees the scales are commonly 

 of a bright red copper-colour, with the legs and antennae rufous 

 or testaceous ; and when found amongst grass the scales are of a 

 silvery-gray, with the femora black at the apex, and the tibiae 

 and antennae piceous or dull testaceous. 



Considerable doubt and confusion have hitherto existed rela- 

 tive to the identity of Cure. Pyri of Linnaeus, but the Liunaean 

 cabinet and his description prove decisively that that name must 

 inevitably be applied to this insect, and not to the preceding, with 

 which the description does not agree. In the Linnaean museum 

 there are two insects pinned to the name " Pyri" clothed with 

 golden coppery scales of a fiery-red, and the legs and antennae 

 rufescent ; the first on the left is Cure, micans of Fab., having 

 the femora simple ; the second on the right is Cure. Mali of Fab., 

 with the femora distinctly dentate. Linnaeus has thus clearly 

 mixed two species, but from the peculiar colour of their scales 

 (" aureo-iffneus"), and the colour of their legs and antennae 

 (^' rufeseentes "), it is evident he had these two insects in his eye 

 when he described his Cure. Pyri, and the term "femoribus den- 

 talis " of his description decides unequivocally to which insect 

 the name should be applied ; the first, being larger and more 

 shining, he supposed was the female. Donovan and Marsham 



