276 [May, 



habitat, it olteu exhibits cousiderable diflerences iu colour, — being 

 usually almost scaleless, black, aud somewhat shiniug ; though when 

 freshly disclosed its lower surface is thickly covered with whitish-grey 

 scales, aud its elytra clothed with a very short, depressed, delicate 

 goldeu-browu pubescence, variegated with small patches of dark brown 

 or black. The coarse punctures of the stria? can, however, always 

 be seen. 



It occurs mostly in marshy places, damp meadows, and sand pits, 

 but is never common. In the London district it has been found at 

 Plumstead, Lee, Charlton, Shirley, Hampstead, and Barnes Common ; 

 I have also received it from the neighbourhood of Hythe, Kent (llev. 

 W. Tyldeu), and Messrs. Sharp and Henderson have found it in 

 Scotland. 



S. CINEKASCENS, Schou. The characters of this species, of which 

 one of the localities given by M. Allard is " Angleterre (coll. du Mu- 

 seum)," are given in our last No., p. 256. 



S. PUNCTicOLLis (Kirby) Stephens. The only species with which 

 this insect is likely to be confounded is S. Jlavesccns, from which it 

 differs in having its elytra longer, more parallel-sided, and less suddenly 

 contracted at the apex ; it is also larger, with longer legs. It varies 

 somewhat in colour, but is usually brownish-grey, with a slightly green 

 reflection ; the thorax, generally reddish-brown, has a -pale central line, 

 on each side of which are three light spots at the anterior margin, one 

 in the middle, and one (often indistinct) at the base ; next to these is a 

 pale lateral line, with a small white spot outside. The head has two 

 pale spots on the vertex, with the thoracic lines continued indistinctly. 

 The elytra have each two interrupted, irregular, elevated and dark 

 coloured ridges. 



It is not so common nsjlavescens, but occurs not unfrequently in 

 Kent, and elsewhere in the south and middle of England.* 



S. LINEATUS, Schon. The difficulty is to name a place where this 

 pest does not occur : from the earliest spring days, when the first really 

 warm rays of the sun tempt hybernating insects to take to the Aving, 

 down to the foggiest and dampest autumn evenings, Sitones Ihieatiis, in 

 a more or less abraded and otherwise disguised state, intrudes itself 

 upon the irate Agriculturist and Coleopterist alike. The latter, despite 

 its often scaleless body, may know (and to know is to avoid) it by its 



* iS ge/twllatits. Schiin., has occurred in central France, and migfU bo found in the south of England. 

 It resembles jmneticoUin, but, is shorter, with its elytra more suddenly rounded, and its eyes more pro- 

 minent. It is dull black, with scattered crey pubescence, and three white spots, one at the scutoUura, 

 (he others at the base of the second and fifth interstices. 



