﻿THE RHYNCHOPHORAj OR WEEVILS. 187 



In Otiorhynchus the antennae are long, usually slender, 

 and often inserted at the apex of the rostrum ; the scu- 

 tellum is wanting, or very small ; the wings are absent ; 

 the winglets to the sides of the rostrum at the apex 

 strong ; the scrobes deep, visible from the upper side in 

 front, but rectilinear and evanescent behind ; the body 

 convex, ovate, seldom thickly clothed with scales, and 

 usually dull in colour; and the tarsi spongy beneath, 

 with the apical joint long and the hooks free. The 

 males are, for the most part, smaller and less globose 

 than the females. 



The larvae of 0. sulcaius, a common metropolitan in- 

 sect, have been observed to do considerable damage to 

 potted plants, etc., by gnawing round the upper part of 

 the roots. 



The different species are found in hedges, under 

 stones, in moss, sand-pits, etc., and at the roots of grass 

 or sand-hills. 0. picipes (Plate XII, Fig. 1) is one of 

 the most abundant, frequently doing considerable damage 

 to young trees and plants ; it may be obtained in pro- 

 fusion by beating white-thorn hedges in spring. 



Some of our species, found in mountainous parts of 

 the north, and others peculiar to the south coast, are 

 shining black, and many of them congregate under 

 stones, especially on turf-walls. Dr. Stierlin, in his 'Re- 

 vision of the European Otiorhynchi' Berlin, has fully 

 described our species (amongst others). 



The Erirhinid.e (which commence the Mecorhynchi, 

 equivalent to the Rhynchanides of Eabricius,) consist of 

 a somewhat heterogeneous assemblage, — Lixus, Larinus, 

 and Rhinocyllus being often associated with the Cleoriidce, 

 and Pissodes with Hylobius. 



Their antennae are either eleven- or twelve-jointed, 



