210 EHTNCHOPHORA. \_Bctrynotus. 



BARYNOTUS, Germar (Merionus, Stephens). 



This genus contains only about a dozen species, which, with one or 

 two exceptions, are all found in Europe ; B. Sclionlierri has been taken 

 in Newfoundland, and Say has described another North American 

 species, B. granulatus; the latter, however, is not noticed by Leconte 

 and Horn in their classification, and B. Sclwnherri may have been an 

 importation, so that Bedel is most likely right in regarding the genus 

 as confined to Europe ; the species are attached chiefly to cold and 

 mountainous districts ; they are rather large insects, with the upper 

 surface more or less thickly clothed with scales, which are usually grey 

 or brownish, but sometimes more or less metallic ; the rostrum is broad, 

 dilated at apex, with a strong central furrow and well-marked very 

 obtusely deflexed scrobes; eyes depressed; thorax about 'as long as 

 broad, with a more or less distinct central furrow ; elytra variable, with 

 punctured striae, strongly deflexed and more or less acuminate at apex ; 

 femora not toothed. 



The three British species may be distinguished as follows : 



I. Rostrum with one furrow ; head and thorax more 

 shining and much less thickly squamose than the 



elytra, which are subparallel. 

 i. Scales of elytra denser, not or scarcely metallic, 



grey and brown, obscurely variegated B. OBSCUBtrs, F. 



ii. Scales of elytra less dense, distinctly metallic, 



scarcely variegated B. SCHONHEKBI, Zett. 



II. Rostrum with five furrows ; head, thorax and elytra 



uniformly and thickly covered with dull grey scales, 



the latter dilated behind B. ELEVATUS, Marsh. 



(mccren-s, auct. nee F.) 



B. obscurus, F. (murinus, Miill.). Pitchy black, clothed with 

 obscurely variegated scales, which are comparatively scanty on the head 

 and thorax, and very scanty on the rostrum ; rostrum with a strong 

 longitudinal groove and oblong rugose punctures ; thorax punctured 

 anteriorly, with the sides and hinder portion obsoletely granulated, 

 nearly as long as broad, with the sides rounded, broadest a little before 

 middle ; elytra with fine punctured stria?, interstices thickly and finely 

 coriaceous, the alternate ones and the suture behind slightly elevated, 

 with erect cinereous setae, which are conspicuous towards apex ; legs 

 black, with the tibiae and tarsi sometimes ferruginous. L. 8^-10 mm. 



The female appears to be broader than the male, with the sides of the 

 elytra more rounded 



Under stones, at roots of grass, in moss, flood refuse, &c. ; rather common and 

 generally distributed throughout England and Wales ; Scotland, not very common, 

 Solway, Dee and Moray, and probably all the southern districts; Ireland, New- 

 castle, Waterford, Armagh, and most likely general. 



B. Schcnherri, Zett. Very like the preceding, but, on an average, 

 a little smaller, with the scales less variegated and plainly metallic, 



