246 BHTKCHOPHORA. [CurcuUonina. 



instances, very large and conspicuous insects ; the species belonging to 

 the genus Liosoma are, however, very small, but are worthy of notice as 

 heing almost exact reproductions in miniature of the large and con- 

 spicuous species of Liparus. 



I. First joint of the club of the antennae shorter than the follow- 



ing joints uuitt-d. 

 i. Prosternum not emarginate at apex; surface of mandibles 



with scattered patches of hairs LEPYRUS, ScAon. 



ii. Prosternum emarginate at apex ; surface of mandibles 

 glabrous. 



1. Length 2-4 mm. ; tibiae with moderately strong spurs at 



apex LIOSOMA, Steph. 



2. Length 8-16 mm. ;* tibise with strong curved spurs at 



apex, 



A. Scutellum small ; metasternum very short .... LIPARUS, 01. 



B. Scutellum large; metasternum comparatively long . CUUCULIO, L. 



(Hylobius, Schon.). 



II. First joint of the club of the antennae as long as all the 

 following united ; upper surface very dull with large round 



punctures PLINTHUS, Germ. 



LEFYRUS, Schonherr. 



This genus contains about half-a-dozen species which are found in 

 Europe, Northern Asia, and North America; they are moderate-sized 

 insects with the eyes round, the Scutellum scarcely visible, and the 

 prosternum not emarginate at apex ; the thorax is narrowed towards apex 

 and broadly rounded at base ; the elytra are broadly emarginate at base; 

 the femora are armed with a small tooth ; the single British species is 

 extremely rare. 



Zi. binotatus, Payk. (capucinus, Schall.). Black, clothed with 

 f usco-cinereous or ashy- brown scales and hairs, very minutely variegated 

 with grey, and with a very small but distinct white point of scales be- 

 hind the middle of each elytron; rostrum longer than thorax, carinate, 

 somewhat dilated at apex ; antennae moderately thin, inserted near apex 

 of rostrum, scape not reaching eyes, funiculus seven-jointed, with the 

 two first joints rather long ; eyes rather convex ; thorax narrowed to- 

 wards apex, closely sculptured, with a small central line ; elytra long 

 oval, somewhat acuminate at apex, with regular punctured striae; legs 

 moderately long. L. 7|-10 mm. 



Woods and damp meadows ; on Salix ; often found in flood refuse in France ; very 

 rare ; Norbiton, Surrey (Lewis) ; Hiuley, Hampshire, under a stone in a dusty road, 

 the plants near being birch and broom (Serle Hayward, Ent. Ann. 1870, 102) ; 

 Eastrey, Port?mouth district, 1870 (MoncreafF) ; one specimen from Rev. W. Hope 

 (S. Stevens). 



LIOSOMA, Stephens. 

 The species belonging to this genus are about twenty in number ; 



* Liparus dirus, Herbst. (glabratus, F.) attains a length of 17-20 mm. j it is 

 widely spread over Central and Southern Europe. 



