32 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



By no means rare in summer on various Umbelliferae. Its 

 smaller size and black front distinguish it readil}^ from fron- 

 talis. Mulsant has given this insect the name of forcipata, 

 and, seeing that he quotes Costa's description, and indeed 

 was in possession of his type, there can be no doubt that this 

 name must be restored. 



3. A. ni/ilabris, Gyll. 1825, Muls. Ij— If line. Black, 

 pubescent ; mouth, base of antennae, and a portion at least 

 of the tibiae paler. Antennae with the last five joints monili- 

 form. Appendices of ihe male linear, i-eaching the fifth seg- 

 ment, straight. Hitherto rare. I have only seen specimens 

 fronj Cambridge and in Mr. Edleston's collection. 



These three species are closely allied, and generally con- 

 founded together ; the colouring is, however, pretty constant, 

 and the male characters are very distinct. There is yet a 

 fourth species which will undoubtedly occur, the A. monili- 

 cornis, Muls., which has the colouring of rufilabris, but the 

 male has no appendages, and has the first joint of the ante- 

 rior tarsi equal to the second, while in A. rufilabris it is much 

 shorter. Thomson, in the sixth volume of his useful worku^ 

 points out considerable differences in the sculpture of the 

 three insects, which can hardly have escaped Mulsant ; ac- 

 cording to him A. rufilabris is much more evidently strigose, 

 especially on the thorax, and A. monilicornis is obsoletely so, 

 the thorax being nearly smooth. Further observation is 

 required to confirm this. 



4. A. riijicollis, F. 1792, Muls. (lateralis, Gyl., Thorns.) 

 Ig- — \^ line. Black ; labrum, palpi, base of antennae, legs 

 and thorax reddish yellow. Appendices of the male linear, 

 slightly curved ; tarsi simple. This species is generally very 

 common, and varies but little. 



5. A./asciata, Forst. 1771 (Geoffroyi, Mull. 1824, Muls.) 

 1 — H line. Black; base of antennae and mouth testaceous; 

 elytra with a humeral yellow spot, sometimes with an apical 

 one also ; rarely the yellow is in excess and extends to the 

 thorax, leaving the base of the elytra and a marginal spot 

 black. Appendices of the male none ; tarsi dilate. Very 

 common in spring, and very variable. Stephens founded 

 numerous species upon its variations ; they are, however, 

 generally easily recognisable. It was first described by 

 Geoffroy and next by Forster, whose name must be retained : 



