SIPHOCOEYNE PASTINACE^. 23 



Relatively the winged female is smaller than the 

 a|)terous. 



Found feeding on Salix viminalis at Shere, near 

 Gruildford, and kindly forwarded to me by Dr. Ever shed. 

 At the same time examples of Siphocori/ne ca2)rece were 

 numerous on the willow leaves. The apterous females 

 occur at the end of April, and the winged forms 

 towards the end of June. 



In September I received the following notice from 

 Mr. McLachlan : " An interesting fact is observable 

 every year in the garden of a friend at Kentish Town. 

 A species (of Aphis) infesting the willow and poplar is 

 the prey of a species of Aphidius {Aphid ius gregarius, 

 Marshall), to an extraordinary degree, the stung indi- 

 viduals collecting in masses round the leaves of the 

 twigs. The other day I saw a mass on one willow 

 twig that must have consisted of many thousands, each 

 of which I believe to have been stung ; later on they 

 will become merely inflated skins, with the character- 

 istic hole whence the parasite emerged." 



This Aphis proved to be Melanoxantlius salicis here 

 described. As the insect is both large and conspicuous 

 from its bright colour, it is remarkable that so few 

 authors have noticed it. I believe it has not been 

 before recorded as British. It does not appear to be 

 Lachnus viminalis of Passerini, notwithstanding some 

 resemblance on the description he gives, and the 

 resort of his insect to the same plant for food. 



Genus IX.— SIPHOCORYNE,* Pass. 



Rostrum rather short. 

 Head without any frontal tubercles. 

 Cornicles long and vasiform. 



This genus partakes of the characters of both Rliopa- 

 losiplmm and the following genus Aphis. 



* From aiipuv and Kopvvi], a club. 



