Liosoma. | RHYNCHOPHORA. 247 
they are found in Central and Southern Europe, Algeria, and the Canary 
Islands, and one species occurs as far north as Siberia ; by far the 
greater majority, however, have been described from Europe ; three 
occur in Britain; they are very small, usually black, shining insects, 
resembling almost exactly in miniature the large species of Liparus ; the 
antenne are rather long and are inserted nearly at the apex of the 
rostrum, which is more or less distinetly carinate; the mandibles are 
short and slender; the sculpture of the thorax and elytra is very cvuarse; 
the scutellum is invisible, and the elytra are not much broader at base 
than thorax; the prosternum is emarginate at apex; the legs are 
moderately long and robust and the tarsi are spongy pubescent beneath ; 
the males are narrower than the-females, with the rostrum a little shorter 
and thicker and the antennz inserted almost at the extreme apex ; the 
anterior tibiz, moreover, are more slender, and the abdomen is broadly 
impressed at base, 
By Wemoratoothed. (spe ae sw. sl ss 6  OVATOLUE, Clairv. 
(deflecum, Panz.) 
II. Femora not toothed. 
i. Form longer; thorax more shining ; stria of elytra less 
marked, with the punctures set less closely together . L. opLonGuLUM, Boh. 
ii. Form shorter and smaller; thorax duller ; strie of 
elytra more marked, with the punctures set more 
Peel eeUner ea oh nen dee ie varia Pavigit.’ 407s, TROGLODYTES, Rye. 
L. ovatulum, Clairv. (deflezum, Panz.; punetatum, Marsh). Shert 
and broad; deep shining black, glabrous ; antennx red with club darker; 
rostrum curved ; sides of breast with white pubescence; thorax about 
as long as broad, with sides subparallel and narrowed just before apex, 
coarsely and deeply punctured, with a more or less distinct smooth 
central line ; elytra with rows of large round punctures, interstices bread 
and tlat, with a row of very fine punctures and of short and exceedingly 
fine sete ; legs black, tarsi reddish, femora with a small, but distinct, 
tooth. L. 23-3 mm. 
Damp places ; in moss and at roots of grass ; occasionally by sweeping herbage ; it 
appears to live on various Ranunculaceae, and has been found on Anemone nemorosa and 
Ranunculus repens ; rather local in some districts but generally distributed and, as 
a rule, common throughout England and Wales; Scotland, not common, Solway, Dee, 
aud probably other districts; it appears to be common in Ireland, Waterford, 
Galway (abundant), Teelin Bay (Donegal), Dinnish Island, Armagh, Belfast, &e. 
V. collaris, Rye, This variety is rather smaller than average 
specimens of the type-form, and may at once be known by having the 
thorax and often the rostrum more or less brightly red and the legs red 
with the femora dark at apex ; the thorax also is less closely punctured, 
and the tuoth on the femora is feebler. L,. 23 mm. 
Occurs with the type-form but much more rarely ; Lee, Highgate, Mickleham, 
Cowley ; Nettlecomb, Somerset; Knowle, near Birmingham ; Barinouth ; Scotland, 
Baluuto, Fifeshire (Power) ; Ireland, Woodlands, near Dublin (Power). 
