Sitones.] RHTXCHOPHORA. 219 



bf. Size smaller; length 4-4 J mm.; 

 upper surface comparatively scantily 

 clothed with ashy-brown scales, which 

 are more or less variegated . . . . S. MELILOTI, Walt. 



S. griseus, F. (palliatu$, 01.). Elongate, black, clothed with fuscous 

 or brownish scales, with three longitudinal bands of lighter scales on 

 thorax, and a broad common lighter band running down the suture of 

 elytra, which are more or less distinctly variegated on each side with 

 small dark patches; the general colour varies from dark brown to 

 silvery grey ; head long, eyes somewhat prominent, antennae pitchy 

 with base reddish ; thorax about as long as broad, with sides slightly 

 rounded, sparingly and moderately strongly punctured ; elytra long, 

 rather strongly contracted at apex and bluntly acuminate, with strong 

 punctured striae, and somewhat convex interstices ; underside with thick 

 whitish scales ; legs rather long, femora banded with white and fuscous 

 scales. L. 6-9 mm. 



Sandy places ; at roots of Genista, grass, &c. ; locally common in many districts 

 on the coast, but less common inland, and not recorded from the Midland counties 

 or any place far distant from the sea ; it appears to be generally distributed along 

 the coasts of England and Wales, but to become scarcer in the north ; Scotland, very 

 rare, Tay and Moray districts; Dr. Sharp remarks (Scot. Nat. 1879, p. 140), that 

 the occurrence of this species in Scotland requires confirmation; Ireland, Baldoyle; 

 it has occurred inland at Esher, Ripley (Surrey), Wimbledon and Maidstone. 



S. cambricus, Steph. Black or brown, upper surface clothed with 

 scanty ashy brown scales, and with very short depressed golden brown 

 pubescence, which, on the elytra, is sometimes variegated with small 

 patches of dark brown or black, but is often unicolorous ; head rugose, 

 eyes very prominent, antennae pitchy, with at most the base reddish ; 

 thorax with the sides strongly rounded and dilated with large scattered 

 punctures and the interspaces very closely sculptured ; elytra with 

 rather strong punctured striae, interstices very finely coriaceous ; under- 

 side thickly clothed with ashy scales ; legs black. L. 5-6 mm. 



Marshyf places ; at roots of grass and in moss, and occasionally by sweeping- herb- 

 age ; local and, as a rule, not common ; Lee, Charlton, Ripley, Woking, Barnes, 

 Shirley, Esher, Plumsl.ead, Hampstead, Horsell, Cowley ; Hertford ; Hythe ; 

 Hastings ; Lyme Regis ; Isle of Wight ; Lyndhurst ; Plymouth ; Exeter ; South 

 Wales; Barmouth; Knowle ; Repton, Bretby Wood ; Church Stretton and Bollin, 

 near Bowdon, Cheshire; Pendleton 'and Bramhall, near Manchester; Yorkshire; 

 Scotland, rare, Solway district ; Mr. S. Stevens records it as rare but widely dis- 

 tributed. 



V. cifierascens, Fahr. . This variety has been by some authors 

 regarded as a separate species ; it cannot, however, be separated from 

 the type ; it is smaller, less robust, and narrower, with the punctuation 

 of the upper surface less coarse, the head less furrowed, and the pubes- 

 cence closer and longer ; the rostrum is more broadly sulcate, and the 

 scales of the underside are whiter ; in the specimens I have seen the 

 antennae are red with the club fuscous. L. 4f-5 mm. 



