Mr. J. Walton on the genus Anthonomus. 419 



Three specimens of this, with other British insects, taken in 

 Herefordshire by Mr. Doubleday, were given by him to Mr. 

 Smith, one of which was kindly presented to me by the latter 

 gentleman : it occurs on pines in the north of Sweden. 



5. Anthonomus Rubi, Herbst, Gyll., Germ., Steph., Schonh. 

 Cure, ater et melanopterus, Marsh, sec. Mus. Steph. et Kirb. 

 A. obscurus var., Steph. sec. ej. Mus. 

 — brunnipennis var., Curt. Ann. Nat. Hist. V. 280. 



This insect greatly varies in magnitude (length 1^ — 2 lines) 

 and in colour, which two circumstances have led to its being- 

 separated into different species : the varieties may be subdivided 

 as follows : — 



a. Black, with the basal joint of the antenna?, the base and apex 

 of the femora, the tibise and tarsi fusco -piceous or fusco-fer- 

 ruginous : Cure. Rubi of Herbst, and melanopterus of Marsh.: 

 very common. 



b. Entirely black ; or black, with the basal joint of the antenna 

 fusco-piceous : Cure, ater of Marsh. : not uncommon. 



c. With the head, rostrum and thorax piceous black or piceous ; 

 the elytra and legs fusco-testaceous or fusco-ferruginous : 

 Ant. obscurus of Steph., and brunnipennis of Curt. : not of fre- 

 quent occurrence. 



I have examined the original specimen of Cure, clavatus of 

 Marsham in the cabinet of Mr. Stephens, and I have no doubt 

 it is a large female specimen of Balaninus (Rhynch.) Brassiae of 

 Fab., with the apex of the rostrum morbidly tumefied and the 

 palpus exposed* : Mr. Curtis gave me a specimen of Ant. brun- 

 nipennis, which I sent to M. Schonherr, who returned it as a variety 

 (y) of Ant. Rubi, accompanied by Swedish examples which agree 

 with it : there are similar specimens of this variety in the cabinet 

 of Mr. Stephens, under the name of Ant. obscurus, which I have 

 carefully examined, but not being able to discover sufficiently di- 

 stinctive characters, I am compelled to consider them, as well as 

 Ant. brunnipennis, merely as immature varieties. 



Widely dispersed throughout Great Britain, and found on 

 various plants in many localities. 



* I beg to return my sincere thanks to Mr. Stephens, not only for the in- 

 valuable privilege of inspecting his rich indigenous collection of insects (that 

 of the late Mr. Marsham being now incorporated with his own), but for the 

 facilities he has invariably afforded me in examining its rarities, which have 

 been the means of enabling me to rectify many mistakes, originating in 

 most cases from the great difficulty of distinguishing species from varieties. 



28* 



