224 RHTNCHOPHORA. [Sitones. 



By sweeping clover, &c. ; not so abundant as some of the other species, but com- 

 mon and generally distributed throughout the kingdom. 



V. longicollis, Fahr. Very closely allied to the type, from Avhich 

 it may be known by its average smaller size, more deeply furrowed head, 

 somewhat more prominent eyes, more elongate and distinctly punctured 

 thorax, unspotted head and thorax and more strongly punctate-striate 

 elytra ; it can hardly be regarded as a separate species, as the differences 

 are entirely comparative and not very marked. L. 4|-5 mm. 



Mr. Walton (Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 1844, p. 69), says that S.fiaves- 

 cens unquestionably approaches extremely close to S. puncticollis, and 

 that he had formerly a doubt as to their distinctness ; the differences 

 are somewhat hard to express in words, but no person could confuse the 

 species, if he saw fresh specimens side by side ; S.flavescens is a smaller 

 insect and of a different form, with the head narrower, and the elytra 

 shorter and less regularly rounded at the extremity, being more con- 

 tracted in their lower third ; the long frontal furrow reaching almost to 

 the anterior margin of thorax will also serve to distinguish it ; accord- 

 ing to Walton one of the distinctive characters, as compared with S. 

 puncticollis, is that in fresh specimens the alternate interstices are more 

 or less distinctly variegated, but, as far as my experience goes, it 

 is the latter in which the variegation is much more evident ; in this 

 respect, however, the individuals of many species vary inter se to an 

 indefinite extent. 



S. puncticollis, Steph. Larger and more robust than the preced- 

 ing species, with the head broader and the forehead sometimes with an 

 impressed puncture, sometimes with a central furrow, which, however, 

 never extends beyond eyes ; vertex convex usually with two pale spots ; 

 thorax about as long as broad, with the sides very slightly rounded, very 

 closely punctured, with three light lines ; elytra with the shoulders well 

 marked, more or less obscurely lineated, with interrupted fuscous or black 

 streaks on disc of each; legs comparatively long and robust, dark, tibise 

 and tarsi more or less ferruginous ; the general colour is fuscous- brown, 

 but is somewhat variable, as is usually the case in the genus. L. 

 6 mm. 



On clover, trefoil, vetch, &c. ; common and generally distributed throughout Eng- 

 liuid and Wales in the counties bordering on or not far from the sea, but, as far as 

 my experience goes, it is not common in the Midlands; Scotland, common, Solway, 

 Forth and probably other districts ; Ireland, near Waterford, Armagh, &c. ; Bedel 

 mentions it as inhabiting all the basin of the Seine and all Europe, so that it can 

 by no means be considered in any sense a maritime insect. 



S. suturalis, Steph. Black, not very thickly covered (except in 

 quite freshly emerged specimens) with greyish scales, which are more or 

 less metallic, and are often coppery red or more or less distinctly metallic 

 green ; the thorax has three longitudinal lighter bands of scale.3 ; and the 

 elytra also is banded, the line running down suture being especially 



