166 RHYNOHOPHORA. [ Apion. 
from the Northumberland and Durham district; Scotland, Solway and Forth 
districts ; Ireland, Armagh (Johnson). ‘ 
Group 19. 
Small strongly pubescent black species with the rostrum strongly 
curved, but short, at all events in male (on birch, willows, §c.). 
A. simile, Kirby (superciliosum, Gyll., triste, Germ.). Black with 
the elytra somewhat shining and presenting a slight xmeous reflection, 
clothed with sparing but distinct and rather strong whitish pubescence, 
and with the orbit of the eyes beneath and the sides of the breast 
furnished with white hairs ; head rather broad, eyes somewhat prominent ; 
rostrum very variable in length in the sexes ; antenne inserted behind 
middle ; thorax about as long as broad or slightly transverse, searcely 
narrowed in front, coarsely punctured, with a small fovea before scutellum, 
which is rather large; elytra moderately long, a little dilated behind 
middle, produced at apex in female, with the shoulders well marked, and 
with broad strongly punctured strive, interstices narrow, subcarinate ; 
legs black, moderately long. LL. 2 mm. 
Male with the rostrum scareely longer than the thorax, pubescent ; 
antennz inserted a little behind middle of rostrum ; posterior tibice 
terminating in a distinct hook. 
Female with the rostrum nearly twice as long as thorax, slender and 
plainly curved, more shining; antennz inserted at some distance behind 
middle of rostrum ; posterior tibiz simple. 
On birch (Betula alba); local, but not uncommon where it occurs; Esher, 
Dulwich, Chobham, Coombe Wood, Shirley, Ripley, Dorking, Birch Wood, Mickle- 
ham, Gravesend, Whitstable ; Hertford; Hunstanton, Norfolk; Ashwicken, Cam- 
bridge; Redgrave Fen; Bretby Wood, Repton; Yorkshire. 
A. pubescens, Kirby (civicum, Germ., salicis, Gyll.). Black, rather 
dull, clothed with fine but very distinet greyish pubescence ; head rather 
broad, forehead rugose, with a broad impression in front, eyes convex ; 
rostrum of nearly equal length in both sexes ; antenne inserted about 
middle ; thorax transverse, scarcely narrowed in front and with the sides 
subparallel, moderately strongly punctured, with a small short fovea 
before scutellum, which is small; elytra oblong, slightly depressed 
towards base, with well marked shoulders, and with much finer strize 
and broader interstices than in the preceding species, the latter being 
wide, flat and very plainly shagreened, whereas in A. simile they are 
scarcely as broad as the strize and are convex: legs black, moderately 
long. L. 2mm. 
The rostrum is duller in the male but scarcely differs in length in the 
sexes, as it is said to do by some authors. 
On willows, and amongst grass; occasionally found in haystack refuse; very local, 
but not uncommon where it occurs ; Caterham, Shirley, Birch Wood, Hsher, Wey- 
bridge, Rusper, Sheerness, Chatham; Kingsgate; Deal; Hastings; Arundel; 
Suffolk; Ashwicken; Knowle, near Birmingham; Barmouth ; Heysham; Yorkshire; 
Scotland, Forth district, ‘‘ Kinross-shire, A. Murray,”? Murray’s Cat. 
