Curculio.'} 



RIIYNCHOPHOBA. 



251 



fully burnt at intervals, and not allowed to lie too long, will cause an 

 appreciable diminution of the mischief ; it has been found a good plan, 

 where planting has been done on a large scale, and the beetle is present 

 to any extent, to take out as many of the old roots as possible, burn all 

 the rubbish that is lying about and graze thegronnd with cattle for three 

 or four years before replanting ; direct applications of soft soap and 

 sulphur, or of paraffin, to the stems of the trees is of service as the 

 beetles commence at the ground level and gradually strip the trees upwards 

 of their bark. The species of Curculio are large and conspicuous beetles 

 and may be distinguished by having the scutellum large, the meta- 

 steruum comparatively long, the antennas with the scape reaching the 

 eyes, which are vertically oval, and the prosternum emarginate at apex, 

 with the ocular lobes distinct and ciliated. 



C. abietis, L. Pitchy black, dull, with yellowish scales which 

 are dotted over the surface in more or less distinct small yellowish 

 patches, and on the elytra form two narrow more or less irregular bands, 

 one before and one behind middle ; there are also patches on the thorax, 

 at the sides and before scutellum, and at the apex of the elytra ; rostrum 

 stout, rugose, with the antennae inserted at apex ; thorax at least as 

 long as broad, constricted before apex, coarsely and rugosely punctured, 

 with or without a smooth central line ; elytra with chains of punctures 

 (" cancellatostriatis," Thorns.), interstices broad, strongly rugose; legs 

 black, femora armed with a rather strong tooth. L. 8-14 mm. 



Varieties occur in which the colour is pitchy ferruginous and the legs 

 reddish or pitchy red ; the male has the base and the last ventral seg- 

 ment of the abdomen always broadly impressed. 



On pines and firs ; locally abundant and, as a rule, common throughout the whols- 

 kingdom; it is often found crawling on pathways, on pavements, &c. ; and Dr. Sharp 

 says that it is often met with in houses in Scotland. Mr. Moncreaff says that he has 

 taken it on flowers of thistles in front of Lumps fort, Southsea, in cop in June, with 

 110 fir or pine trtes within two miles. 



PLINTHUS, Germar. 



This genus contains about five or six species which are found in 

 "Western Europe, the Canary Islands and North America according 

 to Bedel they chiefly inhabit mountainous regions, but this is certainly 

 not the case with our single species ; they hide themselves during the 

 clay and come out at night or in the twilight ; our species is a somewhat 

 elongate, dull insect, which may easily be recognized by its sculpture, and 

 by having the first joint of the club of the antennae as long as all the 

 following united. 



P. calig'inosus, F. Elongate, apterous, dull-black, glabrous or 

 with traces of scales and rows of very short setae, which, however, are 

 only apparent in newly emerged specimens ; antennae reddish brown, 

 with the first two joints of the funiculus elongate and equal; thorax 



