418 Mr. J. AValton on the genus Anthonomus. 



which are constant. I have a Swedish insect sent me by Schon- 

 herr as Ayit. Ulmi var. 7, wliich undoubtedly belongs to this spe- 

 cies, and which it is evident he has also confounded with the pre- 

 ceding. 



Exclusively of colour, it may at once be distinguished by a 

 comparative examination of the following characters : the rostrum 

 is shorter, thicker, and the antenna inserted nearer the apex ; 

 the tooth of the anterior femur evidently shorter and not so stout ; 

 the tibia of a different form, being nearly straight, except at the 

 base which is a little bent, and much less dilated within in the 

 middle; the posterior femora each with the tooth larger, and 

 distinctly visible with a lens of an inch focus. 



I have found this insect on the leaves of the white-thorn 

 {Mespilus Oxyacantha) in hedges on the west side of Turner^s 

 Wood, Hampstead, sparingly in April of dark colours, and 

 abundantly in September of pale colours ; and also in many other 

 localities in the south of England, but never on any other plant, 

 or in company with Ant. Ulmi. 



§ B. Femora minutely dentate. 

 4. Anthonomus pubescens ?, Payk., Gyll., Germ., Schonh. 



Ovate, testaceous, cinereo-pubescent. Head small, round, tes- 

 taceous, punctulated and pubescent ; eyes globose, brown-black ; 

 rostrum rather longer than the head and thorax, slender, a little 

 curved, punctulated, deep rufous, shining, and more or less fus- 

 cous at the apex. Antennse rather long, slender, rufo-testaceous, 

 clava elongate and fuscous. Thorax transversely nupressed and 

 constricted anteriorly, a little rounded at the sides, bisinuated at 

 the base, moderately convex above, testaceous, closely and deeply 

 punctured and pubescent. Scutellum small, elevated and densely 

 pubescent. Elytra ovate, very convex above, testaceous, deeply 

 punctate-striate, interstices narrow, convex, indistinctly punctu- 

 lated and sparingly pubescent. Legs long, testaceous ; anterior 

 femora minutely dentate, posterior femora scarcely or very obso- 

 letely dentate. Length If line. 



The form of the rostrum, with the place of insertion of the 

 antennse, and the form of the tibise, are very similar to Ant. pe- 

 dicularius ; but the absence of a fascia on the elytra, and the mi- 

 nute tooth on each of the femora, at once distinguish this insect 

 from the pale varieties of the two preceding, to which it is allied. 



This insect agrees in all its essential characters with Gyllen- 

 hal's description of Rhynch. pubescens ; there is however a dif- 

 ference in the colour of the head, that of the former being testa- 

 ceous, and of the latter black or fuscous ; but colour is so ex- 

 tremely variable in these insects that I consider it of very httle 

 value as a subsidiary specific character. 



