Apion.] RHYNCHOPHORA. 167 



A. Curtisi, "\Valt. (eiirtitlum, Pesbr., teste Bedel). Very closely 

 allied to A. puie.<cens, but, on an average, of smaller size, and also 

 evidently narrower and more parallel ; the forehead has no impression, 

 or a very obsolete one, at the base of rostrum; the rostrum is shorter 

 and more shining and evidently longer in the leniale than in the male, 

 and the eyes are less piominent ; the thorax is longer, being about as 

 long as broad, and is more finely punctured, with the fovea before 

 scutellum less marked and often obsolete, and the elytra are more narrow, 

 convex and parallel with the strise finer and more superficial. L. If -2 

 mm. 



Sandy places on the coast, by sweeping grass, &c. ; the actual food plant does not 

 ap|)*ar to be known ; local, but sometimes abundant where it occurs ; Dnlwich ; 

 Shipley, near Horsham ; Deal ; Hastings and St. Leonards ; Littlehampluu ; Aruudel ; 

 Brighton ; Devon ; Norfolk ; Heysham and Lancaster. 



GROUP 20. 



Large purple-red metallic species icith sJwrl stout and straight rostrum. 

 (On Statice.) 



A. limonii, Kirby. One of the largest and most conspicuous species 

 of the genus ; oval, convex, coppery-red or reddish-purple sometimes 

 with a greenish tinge, with the elytra often darker than thorax, covered 

 with short scanty pubescence ; head broad, rugose between eyes, which 

 are large and scarcely prominent ; rostrum very short and stout, often of 

 a purple colour, coarsely punctured, the punctuation being closer at the 

 base and sides ; antennae short, inserted about middle ; thorax longer 

 than broad, with the sides subparallel and scarcely narrowed in front, 

 usually coppery or brassy, sometimes greenish, finely and diffusely 

 punctured, with a deep and more or less elongate fovea before scutellum ; 

 elytra oval, strongly rounded and widened at sides, broadest about middle, 

 produced obtusely behind, with the shoulders rounded, and with punc- 

 tured strise, which are fine in some specimens and rather strong in others, 

 interstices rather broad, shagreened ; underside punctured, coppery; 

 legs dark, more or less metallic, stout and rather short. L. 3-4 mm. 



Male with the rostrum shorter than in female, and the antennae a 

 little shorter and stouter. 



Salt marshes, on the decaying leaves and old roots of Stati>:e limonium (the Sea 

 Lavender) in July and August; very local, but common where it occurs; Gravesend, 

 Sheerness, Whitstable ; \Valton-on-Niize; Dover; Folkestone; Hythe ; South- 

 ampton ; Burnhaui Market ; first taken by Mr. Kirby at Holme-next-the-Sea, Nor- 

 folk, and subsequently in profusion by Mr. Walton in August, 1811, in the same 

 locality. 



GROUP 21. 



Vtry small Ulark species with straight stout rostrum and quadrate 

 thorax, icith sides rather strongly rounded. (On Sedum.) 



A. sedi, Germ. (tumidicoUe t Bach.). A small, somewhat elongate, 



