212 RHYNCHOPHORA. [Alophus. 
together; it may at once be distinguished by the large common V-shaped 
patch at the apex of the elytra. 
A. triguttatus, F.  Oblong-ovate, somewhat variable in form, 
upper surface covered with grey, yellowish-brown or brown scales 
(which in fresh specimens are often more or less metallic, especially on 
head and thorax), mixed with fine hairs, usually more or less variegated 
with small dark patches on the elytra, which are furnished with a 
lighter spot on each before middle and a broad V-shaped common patch 
before apex ; rostrum with a central furrow ; thorax rather longer than 
broad, with the sides subparallel, in fresh specimens with bands of 
lighter scales at sides; elytra broadly emarginate at base, with very 
fine, more or less obsolete, strie ; legs pitchy, tarsi and tibie ferruginous, 
anterior femora not toothed. L.7—8 mm. 
Male with the body behind thorax oblong and the base of the abdomen 
with a broad impression; female with the body behind thorax sub- 
cordiform and the base of abdomen without impression. 
Sandy and chalky places; under stones, and in moss, flood refuse, &ce.; not un- 
common, and generally distributed throughout England; Scotland, on herbage, often 
abundant in flood refuse, Solway, Moray, and probably many other districts ; it is 
most likely widely distributed in Ireland ; in my experience it is never abundant but 
occurs singly in various localities, under stones, on pavements, &e. 
Sus-Fam. Curculionine. 
This sub-family contains by far the great majority of the Rhyncho- 
phora and is made up of very divergent and heterogeneous forms, many 
of which exhibit relationships to other families ; they are, however, all 
connected by the fact that the mandibles have no scar or cicatrix at the 
anterior external angle of the rostrum, a point which will separate them 
from all the Brachyrrhinine ; from the Apionine, which are by many 
authors included in the sub-family, they may (with the exception of 
Nanophyes) be distinguished by the formation of the trochanters, and 
from the Attelabine by the geniculated antenne,* rounded intermediate 
coxe, and the fact that the projection of the first ventral segment is, 
except in Lixus, obtuse or truncate, whereas in the last mentioned sub- 
family it is always acuminate. 
The following characters may be noticed besides those just mentioned ; 
mentum varying in size, maxille exposed, palpi short, four-jointed, 
rigid and conical; rostrum variable, but usually long and more or less 
slender, sometimes of varying length in the sexes, in which case it is 
longest in the female, scrobes entirely or almost entirely lateral with the 
apical portion occasionally visible from above (Hylobius) ; eyes variable, 
as a rule depressed, sometimes very convex (Anthonomina), round or 
almond-shaped ; antennz with the club annulated or articulated ; pro- 
sternum longer or shorter before anterior cox, which are either con- 
* In Cleonus, Rhamphus and Magdalis the antennz are only feebly geniculate, 
but in the other genera this character is strongly marked, 
