50 LAMELLICORNIA. | Serica. 
Seotland. Dr. Ellis (fhe Naturalist, June 1885, p. 249) remarks that he used to see 
this species flying in swarms round the gas lamps about Mossley Hill, Liverpool, 
and frequently netted them in mistake for Noctuze. 
RHIZOTROGUS, Laireille. 
This genus contains upwards of two hundred species, which are nearly 
all found in temperate or cold climates; seventy-five occur in Europe, 
of which only two are found in Britain, and one of these is exceedingly 
rare; they much resemble Melolontha in general appearance, but are 
smaller, and may be easily known from the fact that the club of the 
antenne is composed of only three lamelle. 
The larva of Rhizotrogus appears very closely to resemble that of Melolontha and 
does not need a separate description; that of &. Falleni (= ochraceus, Er.) will be 
found fully described by Schiédte (Part viii. p. 314); the larve of R. solstitialis 
are occasionally destructive to the roots of corn and grass, 
I, Elytra lighter; pygidium granulate. . . . . . R. SOLSTITIALIS, L. 
II. Elytra darker; pygidium sparingly punctured . . . R. ocuRAcEus, Knoch. 
R. solstitialis, L. (Amphimalla solstitialis, Latr.) Oblong, rather 
elongate, moderately convex, of a fuscous or brownish-red colour; head 
dark, clypeus red, with a strong raised margin, antenne 9-jointed, 
reddish-testaceous; thorax a little narrower than elytra, with sides 
rounded and gradually narrowed in front, posterior angles almost right 
angles, upper surface thickly and finely punctured, with a trace of a 
longitudinal furrow in middle; scutellum large, rugosely punctured, very 
thickly clothed with long yellowish hairs; elytra with more or less 
distinct raised lines, sparingly and feebly punctured, and very sparingly 
pilose; under surface densely pilose except in centre of abdomen; legs 
rather long, reddish-testaceous. L. 14-16 mm. 
Male with the club of the antenne much longer than in female, the 
thorax densely villose, especially at sides, and the anterior tibie simple 
externally; female with the thorax scarcely villose, and the anterior tibize 
armed with three teeth externally. 
About hedges and trees, flying at dusk; frequently occurring in profusion where it 
is found, but decidedly local; London district, generally distributed; St. Peter's, 
Kent; Dover; Hastings; Sandown, Isle of Wight; Southampton ; Devonshire ; 
Bath ; Swansea; Barmouth; Blandford; Ely; the only locality that I have heard 
of further north is “Ramparts, Tynemouth Castle,” G. Wailes Esq. (Stephens, 
Ill. iii. 221). 
R. ochraceus, Knoch. (Amphimailla Falleni, Muls.). Very like the 
preceding but ofa darker colour and easily distinguished by the sculpture 
of the pygidium, which is sparingly punctured and thinly pilose; in the 
male the thorax is densely villose, and in the female sparingly pilose; 
occasionally forms occur both in this and the preceding species in which 
the thorax in both sexes is sparingly clothed with long ashy pubescence 
and is not villose in the male; the average size is decidedly smaller, 
L, 11-15 mm. 
