RHYNCHOPHORA. 123 



Male with the thorax armed on each side in front with a strong 

 sharp projecting spine. 



On Prunus spinosa in hedges; the larva lives in the kernel of the stones; ex- 

 tremelv rare as British ; recorded by Marsham as taken in numbers at Crayford in 

 Kent; Mr. S. Stevens possesses a specimen from Donovan's collection, " taken in 

 Kent by Marsham, " and in Dr. Power's collection there is one from Mr. Walton ; 

 1 know of no record in recent years. 



R. Bacchus, L. Upper surface of a brilliant crimson coppery, golden 

 coppery, or purple colour, clothed with long fuscous pubescence, underside 

 duller ; head deeply punctured, rostrum long, carinated, at all events at 

 base; thorax longer than broad, gradually narrowed in front, closely and 

 coarsely punctured, with an obsolete central furrow, sides in front simple 

 in both sexes ; elytra much broader at base than thorax, rounded and 

 gaping at apex, with irregular rows of deep punctures, interstices 

 closely rugose ; legs leng, femora clavate, coppery ; tibiae fuscous cop- 

 pery ; tarsi and antennae black. L. 6-8 mm. 



On various fruit trees, especially the apple, also on Prunus spinosa, and on the 

 young shoots of the vine ; in June ; very rare ; Crayford and Birch Wood, Kent 

 (Stephens) ; Birch Wood, taken by Lady Maryon Wilson in 1795 (Power) ; Mr. S. 

 Stevens has sent me the following note regarding the species "taken at Birch Wood 

 by B. Staudisb, and seen alive by myself at the time some thirty years ago; the 

 specimen was purchased by Mr. Walton from Mr. Standish, and at Mr. Walton's 

 sale was purchased by me. I believe this is the last capture of this insect in 

 England."* 



R. cupreus, L. Upper surface obscurely purplish-aeneous, rather 

 dull, clothed with fine pale pubescence, underside dull brassy black ; 

 head long, thickly punctured, eyes not prominent; rostrum rather 

 stout, irregularly sulcate at base ; thorax subcoiiical, closely and rather 

 strongly punctured, with an obsolete smooth central line; scutellum 

 rather large ; elytra with deeply and coarsely punctured strife, inter- 

 stices rugose or rugosely punctured ; legs brassy black, tarsi black. 

 I.. 4-5 mm. 



Male with the rostrum shorter than in the female. 



On the flowers of the mountain ash; also on whitethorn, apple, sloe, Ac. ; very 

 local ; London district, rare, Darenth Wood and Epping (Stephens) ; Black Park, 

 Surrey (abundant on mountain ash, July 14th and 15th, 1855 (Power) ; Dallington 

 Forest, Hastings; Hampshire ; Sherwood Forest (S. Stevens, and abundant in 

 flowers of mountain ash (Blatch) ) ; Scarborough ; Baron Wood (Cumberland) ; 

 Northumberland and Durham district ; Scotland, very rare, Sol way district (Sharp) ; 

 Pitlochry, in some numbers (A. Beaumont). 



R. aequatus, L. (purpureus, L.). Obscurely aeneous, very thickly 

 punctured, clothed with long pale fuscous pubescence, elytra red with 

 the suture nigro aeneous in front ; head and thorax closely and distinctly 



* This is probably the specimen referred to by Mr. Walton as taken by Mr. Stan- 

 di>h near Cracking Hill, Birch Wood, on the 24th of September, 1843, off the oak 

 underwood, and seen alive by Mr. Douglas. 



