50 LAMBMJCOHNU. [Sfirica. 



Scotland. Dr. Ellis (The Naitumlixt, Jifnc 1885, p. 2i9) remarks thnt he used to see 

 this species flying in swarms round the ga lumps about Mossley Hill, Liverpool, 

 and frequently netted them in mistake for Noctuso. 



RHIZOTROGUS, Latreille. 



This genus contains upwards of two hundred species, which are nearly 

 all found in temperate or cold climates; seventy-five occur in Europe, 

 of which only two are found in Hritain, and one of these is exceedingly 

 rare; they much resemble Melolontha in general appearance, but arc 

 smaller, and may be easily known from the fact that the club of the 

 antennae is composed of only three lamellae. 



The larva of Rhizotrogus appears very closely to resemble that of Melolontha and 

 does not need a separate description; that of R. Falleni (= ochraceus, Er.) will be 

 found fully described by Schiodte (Part viii. p. 314) ; the larvae of R. solttiiialit 

 are occasionally destructive to the roots of corn and grass. 



I. Elytra lighter ; pygidium granulate R. SOLSTITIAUS, L. 



II. Elytra darker ; pygidium sparingly punctured . . . R. OCUBACECS, Knock. 



R. solstitialis, L. (Amphimalla solxtiiia/is, Latr.) Oblong, rather 

 elongate, moderately convex, of a fuscous or brownish-red colour; head 

 dark, clypeus red, with a strong raised margin, antennae 9-jointed, 

 reddish- testaceous; thorax a little narrower than elytra, with sides 

 rounded and gradually narrowed in front, posterior angles almost right 

 angles, upper surface thickly and finely punctured, with a trace of a 

 longitudinal furrow in middle; scutellum large, rugosely punctured, very 

 thickly clothed with long yellowish hairs; elytra with more or less 

 distinct raised lines, sparingly and feebly punctured, and very sparingly 

 pilose; under surface densely pilose except in centre of abdomen; legs 

 rather long, reddish-testaceous. L. 14-16 mm. 



Male with the club of the antennae much longer than in female, the 

 thorax densely villose, especially at sides, and the anterior tibiae simple 

 externally; female with the thorax scarcely villose, and the anterior tibiae 

 armed with three teeth externally. 



About hedges and trees, flying at dusk ; frequently occurring in profusion where it 

 is found, but decidedly local ; London district, generally distributed; St. Peter's, 

 Kent ; Dover ; Hastings ; Sandown, Isle of Wight ; Southampton ; Devonshire ; 

 Bath ; Swansea ; Barmouth ; Blandford ; Ely ; the only locality that I have heard 

 of further north is " Ramparts, Tynemouth Castle," O. Wailes Esq. (Stephens, 



III. iii. 221). 



R. ochraceus, Knoch. (Amphimalla Falleni, Muls.). Very like the 

 preceding but of a darker colour and easily distinguished by the sculpture 

 of the pygidium, which is sparingly punctured and thinly pilose; in the 

 male the thorax is densely villose, and in the female sparingly pilose; 

 occasionally forms occur both in this and the preceding species in which 

 the thorax in both sexes is sparingly clothed with long ashy pubescence 

 and is not villose in the male; the average size is decidedly smaller. 

 L. 11-15 mm. 



