RHYNCHOPHOBA. 247 



they are found in Central and Southern Europe, Algeria, and the Canary 

 Islands, and one species occurs as far north as Siberia ; by far the 

 greater majority, however, have been described from Europe ; three 

 occur in Britain; they are very small, usually black, shining insects, 

 resembling almost exactly in miniature the large species oi Ldparus ; the 

 antennae are rather long and are inserted nearly at the apex of the 

 rostrum, which is more or less distinctly earinate ; the mandibles are 

 short and slender; the sculpture of the thorax and elytra is very cuarse; 

 the scutellum is invisible, and the elytra are not much broader at base 

 than thorax ; the prosternum is emarginate at apex ; the legs are 

 moderately long and robust and the tarsi are spongy pubescent beneath; 

 the males are narrower than the females, with the rostrum a little shorter 

 and thicker and the antennae inserted almost at the extreme apex ; the 

 anterior tibiae, moreover, are more slender, and the abdomen is broadly 

 impressed at base. 



I. Femora toothed L. OVATULUM, Clairv. 



(deflexum, Panz.) 



II. Femora not toothed. 



i. Form longer; thorax more shining; striae of elytra less 



marked, with the punctures set less closely together . L. OBLONGULUM, Boh. 

 ii. Form shorter and smaller ; thorax duller ; striae of 



elytra more marked, with the punctures set more 



closely together L. TROGLODYTES, Rye. 



It. ovatulum, Clairv. (deflexum, Panz. ; punctatum, ^larsli). Short 

 and broad ; deep shining bla< k, glabrous ; antennae red with club darker; 

 rostrum curved ; sides of breast Avith white pubescence ; thorax about 

 as long as broad, with sides subparallel and narrowed just before apex, 

 coarsely and deeply punctured, with a more or less distinct smooth 

 central line : elytra with rows of large round punctures, interstices broad 

 and tlat, with a row of very fine punctures and of short and exceedingly 

 tine sete ; legs black, tarsi reddish, femora with a small, but distinct, 

 tooth. L. 2^-3 mm. 



Damp places ; in moss and at roots of grass ; occasionally by sweeping herbage ; it 

 appears to live on various Ranunculacece, and has been found on Anemone nemorosa aud 

 Ranunculus re pens ; rather local in some districts but generally distributed and, as 

 a rule, common throughout England and Wales ; Scotland, not common, Solway, Dee, 

 and probably other districts ; it appears to be common in Ireland, Waterford, 

 Galway (abundant), Teelin Bay (Donegal), Dinnish Island, Armagh, Belfast, &c. 



V. collaris, Rye. This variety is rather smaller than average 

 specimens of the type-form, and may at once be known by having the 

 thorax and often the rostrum more or less brightly red and the legs red 

 with the femora dark at apex ; the thorax also is less closely punctured, 

 and the tuoth on tbe femora is feebler. L. 2| mm. 



Occurs with the type-form but much more rarely ; Lee, Highgate, Mickleham, 

 Cowley ; Nettlecomb, Somerset; Enowle, near Birmingham ; Barmouth ; Scotland, 

 Balmuto, Fifeshire (Power) ; Irtland, Woodlands, near Dublin (Power). 



