i.sia.] IT) 



[Herr Fuchs first met with this insect July 12th, 1878, at Bornich, in the 

 Eheingau (Rhhie district) on the walls of vineyards. Fuchs observes that to catch 

 it with the net was not difficult, but to see it in the net was not so easy, and in the 

 attempt to box it, when in the net, he lost many specimens. On cooler evenings 

 they were less active and sat quietly on the stone walls of the vineyards, and were 

 then more easily boxed (Stettin. Ent. Zeit., 1879, p. 34,1).— H. T. S.]. 



ON THE BRITISH SPECIES OF THE GENUS PITYOPHTHORUS, 



EICHHOFF. 



BY W. F. H. BLANDFOKD, M.A., F.E.S. 



The genus Piti/ophtlioriis was established by Eiehhoff in 1864 to 

 include certain small Tomicldae, of which the so-called Pifijophthorus 

 microfjrajihuH of our collections may be taken as an example. Its range 

 was then extended by Thomson and Count Ferrari in order to include 

 those species of Tomicus in which the elytra terminate in the male in a 

 pair of hooked spines, and which are devoid of any intercoxal process 

 to the prosternum, namely, T. chalcographus, hidentatus, and quadridens. 

 These insects are, however, quite distinct from the true Plti/ophthori, 

 and were subsequently returned by Eiehhoff to the genus Tomicus ; but 

 they still stand under the former genus in some of our books and 

 collections. 



I propose to deal with the Pityophtliori proper. 



This genus, as defined and limited by Eiehhoff, presented the fol- 

 lowing characters: — the antennae possess a five-jointed funiculus and 

 an oval non-compressed club, which is constricted by transverse sutures 

 dividing it into four distinct joints. The thorax is as long as or longer 

 than broad, bordered at the base, and distinctly narrowed in front. 

 The elytra are cylindrical with simple rows of punctures, and with 

 impunctate interstices ; the apex is obliquely truncate, and presents a 

 depression on either side of the suture ; it is not armed with spines 

 or teeth, but the raised sides of the apical depression and the sutural 

 margins sometimes possess a row of small setigerous tubercles. 



In Tomicus hidentatus and its allies the antennal club is tunicate, 

 the basal joint being enlarged and enclosing the apical joints. 



Hitherto the only species recorded as British has been P. micro- 

 grnphus, Gyll. ; this, however, we do not possess, at least, to my 

 knowledge, and the whole of the specimens so called that I have 

 examined are referable to P. raviuJorum of Perris. To this belong 

 the specimens standing in Stephens' collection under the name of 

 Tomicus jiiibescens, Marsham, and it is almost undoubted!}' Marsham's 

 insect. His name should, therefore, have precedence over that of 

 Perris. 



