342 PHYTOPHAGA. [Longifttrfug. 



Xi. brunneus, Duft. Extremely closely allied to the preceding, from 

 which it may be distinguished by its greater convexity and by its elytra 

 being much moie curved Literally, with the shoulders effaced and not 

 projecting, and the apex of each strongly rounded ; the thorax is nearly 

 us long as broad, and the punctuation of the elytra is finer. L. 2 mm. 



On low plants; generally distributed and common in tlie London district, and 

 probably throughout the greater part of England ; Bold records it as common in 

 the Northumberland district ; Scotland, Solway and Moray districts ; Ireland, near 

 Waterford, Armiigh, Ac. 



This species is so closely allied to L. luridus that the two species are 

 perpetually being confused, and the records cannot be altogether trusted. 

 Mr. Rye (Ent. Ann. 1869, 57) has the following remark regarding the 

 two species, which up to that time were regarded as identical in Britain : 

 " T. luridu is said by M. Allard to have only some analogies (!) with T. 

 bttinnea ; but it will certainly give any one who has a moderately large 

 series of old lurida a puzzling day's work before he will be able to satisfy 

 himself as to the specific difference of these two insects:" this remark 

 all students of the group will cordially agree with ; the extreme forms 

 are not, perhaps, hard to distinguish, but intermediate forms appear to 

 occur, which make it somewhat doubtful whether they ought really to 

 be separated. Allard says that L. brunneus may be distinguished from 

 all the other species of Longitarsus by its more thick-set and square 

 form, which it owes to the fact that the thorax is long and almost as 

 broad as the elytra, and he compares it to Plec.troscelis aridella ; the 

 colour of both the species varies very much from li^ht red to almost 

 black. Dark examples of L. luridus bear a strong superficial resem- 

 blance to L. awhus'.e, from which they may be distinguished by the 

 more slender antennae and stronger punctuation. 



It. fusculus, Kuts. Oblong-ovate, subconvex, shining, fuscous or 

 pitchy fuscous, with the shoulders, margin and apex of elytra, the base 

 of the antennae and the legs paler; thorax transverse, very finely 

 granulose and very minutely punctured ; wings absent ; elytra with the 

 shoulders scarcely prominent, separately rounded obtusely at apex, with 

 thick distinct and confused rugose punctuation; the species is allied 

 to the two preceding, but is smaller, and has the elytra more thickly 

 punctured. L. 1^-1^ mm. 



Male with the last segment of the abdomen furnished with a deep 

 round fovea, and slightly Insinuate at apex ; anterior tarsi with the 

 first joint moderately dilated. 



Very rare ; described by Herr Kutschera from specimens sent him by Mr. G. R. 

 Waterhouse. Highgate ; Purfleet ; Littlington, Cambridge. 



li. aerilis, Rye. Ovate, convex, shining, of a lurid testaceous colour, 

 with the suture darker, at all events behind ; under-side pitchy ; the 

 colour, however, is somewhat variable ; antennae pitchy with base 

 reddish; thorax distinctly punctured; wings present; elytra broad, 



