Phyllobius, Polydrosus and Metallites. 13 
2. Phyllobius Alneti, Fab., Steph. 
— Pyri, Gyll., Schonh. 
— cnides, Marsh., Kirb. MSS. 
— angustatus, Kirb. MSS. 
Very closely allied to the preceding, from which it may be di- 
stinguished in having the scales subelliptical, the antenne and 
its jomts shorter and stouter, the scape scarcely reaching to the 
base of the head, the third and fourth joints of the funiculus di- 
stinctly shorter and stouter, the thorax broadly and deeply con- 
stricted in front ; the scutellum triangular, with the apex acumi- 
nated ; the legs generally black, sometimes dull rufo-ferruginous 
or piceous. The greater part have the scales green or bluish- 
green, very rarely of a brassy-copper; occasionally specimens are 
found of a dull ash-gray, but I have never seen one of a fiery 
coppery-gold. 
- Found abundantly upon the common stinging-nettle (Urtica 
dieeca), and on Umbellifere at the sides of hedges in June. 
8. P. Pyri, Linn. (Mus. Linn.), Marsh. 
— vespertinus, Fab., Herbst, Schonh., Kirb. MSS. 
— Mali, Fab., Herbst, Marsh., Gyll., Steph., Kirb. MSS. 
— amaurus, Marsh., Kirb. MSS. 
This insect, which has some resemblance to the two preceding, 
may at once be discriminated by having the basal joints of the 
funiculus of the antenne shorter and of equal length ; it is va- 
riable in its habits : when found on trees the scales are commonly 
of a bright red copper-colour, with the legs and antennz rufous 
or testaceous ; and when found amongst grass the scales are of a 
silvery-gray, with the femora black at the apex, and the tibie ~ 
and antenne piceous or dull testaceous. 
Considerable doubt and confusion have hitherto existed rela- 
tive to the identity of Curc. Pyri of Linneus, but the Linnzan 
cabinet and his description prove decisively that that name must 
inevitably be applied to this insect, and not to the preceding, with 
which the description does not agree. In the Linnzan museum 
there are two insects pinned to the name “ Pyri,” clothed with 
golden coppery scales of a fiery-red, and the legs and antenne 
rufescent ; the first on the left is Cure. micans of Fab., having 
the femora simple ; the second on the right is Cure. Mali of Fab., 
with the femora distinctly dentate. Linnzeus has thus clearly 
mixed two species, but from the peculiar colour of their scales 
~ aureo-igneus ”), and the colour of their legs and antennz 
(“rufescentes”’), it is evident he had these two insects in his eye 
when he described his Cure. Pyri, and the term “ femoribus den- 
tatis” of his description decides unequivocally to which insect 
the name should be applied; the first, being larger and more 
shining, he supposed was the female. Donovan and Marsham 
