Dorothy J. Jackson 111 



less commonly upon peas and beans. Mr G. Fox- Wilson informs me that 

 he found Sitona crinita seriously damaging the young flowers of Cytisus 

 biflorus at Wisley on October 14, 1920. 



Other recorded Food-plants. RushlvOvsky(26) records this species from 

 buckwheat in Russia, and Bainbridge Fletcher (3U) from indigo and senji 

 in India. 



Nature of Damage. 



The weevils eat semi-circular patches from the edges of the leaves. 

 The larvae feed upon the root nodules and when nearly full grown they 

 also occasionally bore channels in the main root close to the surface of 

 the ground. The young larvae up to 2 mm. in length are to be found 

 entirely buried in the root nodules, but w^hen larger they feed freely 

 upon them. An infected nodule can often be recognised by one end being 

 darker owing to the excrement accumulated in it, and by the presence 

 of a small hole through which the larva has entered. 



Description of Adult. 



Black, clothed with greyish white or ochreous scales and with raised 

 setae on pronotum and elytra. Size 3-3 to 4-5 mm. 



Head. Forehead broad, eyes very prominent. A central furrow com- 

 mencing opposite the middle of the eyes is continued upon the rostrum 

 and the area on either side of this furrow is slightly excavated. Unlike 

 Sitona Waterhousei Walt., the breadth of the head across the eyes is 

 barely twice the breadth of the rostrum at the apex. Pubescence and 

 sculpturing as in pronotum. 



Pronotum. A little broader than long, but much narrower than the 

 elytra. With large deep closely placed punctures and evenly covered 

 with broad ochreous or whitish scales and with short bristles. Narrow 

 dorsal and broad sub-dorsal stripes are formed by lighter and more 

 closely placed scales. Anterior coxal cavities separated from collar line 

 by an area as broad as presternum. 



Elytra. Shoulders prominent, sides almost parallel. With striae of 

 medium-sized punctures; intervals minutely pitted. Scales similar to 

 pronotum. Raised setae longer and backwardly directed, brown or 

 white. Elytra frequently mottled with brown patches composed of long 

 lineal brown scales ; anteriorly often with indications of alternate darker 

 and Ughter longitudinal stripes (formed of darker and lighter scales) 

 which may be continued to the apex of elytra. 



Under-surface. Clothed with whitish ochreous plumate scales, and, 

 on the abdomen, also with pale setae. 



