142 KHYXCHOPHORA. [Apion. 



latter there are two smooth and glabrous dentate bands which appear 

 dark against the white pubescence ; head broad, vertex slightly de- 

 pressed, rostrum rather long, dilated at base, antennae reddish with 

 club darker ; thorax subquadrate, scarcely narrowed in front, not very 

 closely punctured, with a variable impression or stria before scutellum; 

 elytra convex, broader at base than thorax, with the shoulders well 

 marked, and with diatinct punctured striae, interstices rather convex ; 

 underside clothed with rather thick white pubescence ; legs red, tarsi 

 and base of femora more or less infuscate. L. 2-2| mm. 



Male smaller, with the rostrum shorter, thicker and evidently more 

 pubescent than in female. 



On Urtica dioica (the common stinging nettle) ; also on U. urens ; the larvae live 

 in the stems of the nettles ; ve"y local, but sometimes common where it occurs ; 

 Darenth, Gravesend, Caterlmm, Ripley, Dartford, Sheerness, Belvedere, Southend, 

 Wokiug, Sittingbourne ; Deal ; Hastings ; Isle of Wight ; Swanage ; Glanvilles 

 Woottou ; Swansea ; I know of no localities further north. 



GROUP 4. 

 Colour entirely blood-red or yellowish scarlet (chiefly on Ruinex). 



A. miniatum, Germ, (frumentarium, Herbst. nee Payk.). One of 

 the largest and most conspicuous species of the genus ; colour blood - 

 red, pubescence very scanty ; head long, coarsely punctured on both 

 its upper and under side, eyes black, very prominent ; rostrum com- 

 paratively short, curved, very stout, punctured at base, rather shining 

 and more finely punctured towards apex, apex dark ; thorax subcylin- 

 drical, dilated and rounded about middle, rather strongly constricted 

 in front, slightly narrowed at base, thickly and coarsely punctured, 

 with a stria before scutellum, which is small and furrowed; elytra 

 obovate, convex, with deep strongly punctured striae, interstices convex 

 scarcely as broad as the striae ; legs rather stout, apex of tibiae and claws 

 and sometimes femora towards base pitchy. L. 3|-4| mm. 



Male with the head broader and the rostrum shorter and more 

 plainly punctured. 



On species of Rumex, especially B. obtusifolius and R. nemorosus ; the larva has 

 been observed in the stalks of R. hydrolapathum ; according to Ferris, however, it 

 forms a gall on the leaves of the two first mentioned species in which it undergoes 

 its metamorphoses * ; generally distributed and common from the Midlands south- 

 wards, but rarer further north ; according to Murray it is occasional throughout 

 Scotland; it is apparently rare in the Northumberland and Durham districts. 

 Ireland, near Dublin and Waterford. 



A. cruentatum, Walton. This species may easily be distinguished 

 from the preceding by its smaller size, less deep red colour, and the 

 shape of the eyes which are much larger and less prominent ; the thorax 



* Bedel (1. c., p. 383) is of opinion that the species referred to by Ferris may be 

 either A. crutntalum or A. l/amatndcs and not A. minialum. 



