EHIZOBIUS P02E. 98 



nearly equal in length. Eyes inconspicuous. Body 

 more or less furnished with woolly flocks. No necta- 

 ries nor tail. Legs short, tarsi terminated by a single 

 claw. Winged forms unknown. Neither males, 

 females, nor true ova have been yet described. 



Passerini describes Rkizobius menthce and B. sonchi. 

 The latter insect is found at the roots of various 

 plants, as Achillea, Sonchus, Stachys, Galeopsis, and 

 Cichorium. I have not been able to identify these 

 species in England. Passerini makes the antennas 

 six-jointed. The characters, however, are very incon- 

 stant. 



Rhizobius poj;, Buchton. Plate OXXIX, figs. 9 — 14. 

 Viviparous female. 



Long oval (in the spring individual fusiform). 

 Colour dull ochreous yellow. Eyes, antennas, legs, 

 and two occipital longitudinal bands, brown. Antennas 

 very short, varying according to age ; from three to 

 five joints and a nail. Abdomen deeply ringed with 

 numerous dark spots, ranged in transverse rows 

 across the dorsum, from which woolly matter sparsely 

 proceeds. A pale line passes from the vertex down 

 the whole back. Eyes very minute. Legs very short ; 

 the coxas being placed well forward on the sternum. 

 The tarsus is armed by a single claw ; but, as this has 

 two bristles, a high magnifying power is necessary to 

 show its single character. Rostrum very short, but 

 this increases in length by age to the third coxas. 



Yery numerous at the roots of Boa annua on the 

 Northumberland moors. On moving the soil the 

 white tufts of cotton-like fibre, spun from the dorsal 

 pores, betray the presence of these insects. Sometimes 



