Aphthona.] PHYTOPHAGA. 369 
i. Shoulders prominent; elytra at base considerably 
broader than thorax. 
1. Size larger ; elytra with the interstices closely and 
rugosely punctured, comparatively dull, of a bright 
bluecolour .. 6.6.6. on oe oy cee oat oy DAL NONSTRIAAS Gopze. 
(cerulea, Payk.) 
2. Size smaller ; elytra with the interstices not, or 
scarcely, rugosely punctured, shining. 
A. Thorax impunctate, or at most with very fine 
punctures towards base. 
a. Elytra dark blue; anterior and intermediate 
femora pitchy towards base; size larger . . A. VENUSTULA, Aufs. 
(euphorbie, All.) 
b. Elytra dark violet 5 anterior and intermediate 
femora unicolorous red; size smaller . . . A, ATRO-CHRULEA,Steph. 
(cyanella, Redt.) 
B. Thorax thickly and very finely punctured ; 
colour greenish, more rarely bluish; anterior 
and intermediate femora unicolorous red, very 
rarely darker towards base. . . . . . . . A. VIRESCENS, Foudr. 
(hilaris, Steph.?) 
ii. Shoulders rounded ; elytra at base not much broader 
than thorax. 
1. Thorax distinctly transverse; average size smaller A. ATRATULA, All. 
2. Thorax subquadrate ; average size larger . . . A. HERBIGRADA, Curt. 
A. lutescens, Gyll. Subovate, moderately convex, shining, of a 
yellow-testaceous colour, with the head sometimes ferruginous, and the 
antennz towards apex, the mouth parts, the apex of posterior femora, 
and the breast and abdomen black; occasionally, however, the abdomen 
is more or less yellow, or entirely yellow; the suture of the elytra is 
usually dark in the middle; antenne gradually thickened towards apex ; 
thorax short, transverse, with sides distinctly rounded, very finely and 
obsoletely punctured, punctuation more distinct behind; elytra at base 
considerably broader than thorax, rounded together at apex, with the 
sutural angles almost acuminate, very finely and thickly punctured; legs 
clear testaceous with the apex of the posterior femora sharply, abruptly 
and not, as a rule, broadly black, a character that will distinguish it at 
once from one or two of the other Halticee, which it resembles in general 
appearance, L. 2-25 mm. 
Marshy places; on Comarum palustre, Lythrum salicaria, &e.; local, but some- 
times common where it occurs; Snodland (Kent), Esher, Maidstone ; Henley ; 
Wicken Fen; Holm Bush, Brighton ; Portsmouth district; New Forest; Isle of 
Wight, near Brading; Lee Valley, Devon ; Bretby Wvod, Repton ; Scotland, very 
local, Solway district ; Ireland, near Belfast and Lough Neagh. . 
A. nigriceps, Redt. Much smaller than the preceding, from which 
it may further be known by being more convex and of a shorter oval 
form, as well as by the black head, the absence of a black patch at the 
apex of the posterior femora, and the more slender antennx, which are 
not so dark towards apex; the general colour, also, is lighter; thorax 
transverse, rufo-testaceous, almost smooth ; scutellum black ; elytra pale 
VOL, lV. Bb 
