JBalaninw*.'] RHYNCHOPHORA. 3S3 



fruits drop ; it then makes its way into the ground and changes to a 

 papa, whence it emerges as a perfect insect in the following spring; 

 certain of the smaller species, e.g. B. salicivorus (brassier), do not 

 attack nuts or kernels of fruits but form galls, or lay their eggs in the 

 galls formed by certain Hymenoptera, on the under side of willow leaves, 

 in which the larva feeds ; when the leaves fall it makes its way into the 

 earth and there undergoes its transformations. 



The sexual characters are variable and consist in differences in the- 

 length of the rostrum and the insertion of the antennae, and in the 

 presence of impressions or tufts of hairs on the anal segment of the 

 males. 



The British species may be distinguished roughly by the following 

 table ; the synonymy, however, of some of them is very confused ; I 

 have followed Bedel in dropping the name glandium, Marsh, altogether, 

 for, as observed by him (I.e., p. 189), it is applied by Mr. G. E. Water- 

 house to B. nucum, L., and by M. Desbrochers des Loges to B. venosus, 

 Grav., whereas in'the opinion of M. Bedel it must be referred without 

 doubt to B. turbatns, Gyll. ; B. turbatus has been considered by many 

 authors as synonymous with the Curculio tessellatus of Fourcroy, but 

 Bedel points out that it is impossible even to determine the genus to 

 which this insect must be referred, much less the species. 



I. Club of antennae long and pointed with the first two 

 joints of equal size ; tarsal claws appendiculate for 

 half their length ; upper surface variegated with 

 scales ; size, as a rule, much larger (Salaninus, 



\. sp.). 



i. Rostrum ferruginous ; upper surface (at all 

 events in undennded specimens) brown or red, 

 variegated with greyish or light greyish-brown 

 scales. 



1. All the femora armed with a strong triangular 



tooth ; size larger. 



A. Scutelluin narrow ; rostrum shorter, not as 



long as body, more thickened at base . . . B. VENOSirs, Grav. 



B. Scutellum broad ; rostrum longer and more 

 slender, about as long as body, less thickened 



at base. 



a. Last joints of funiculus of antennae pyrifonn, 

 stout, and not much longer than broad, en- 

 tirely clothed with blackish hairs . . . . B. xtrctnr, L. 



b. Last joints of funiculus of antennae elongate, 

 slender and much longer than broad, with 



hairs at apex only B. TUBBATUS, Gyll. 



2. Posterior femora with a small but distinct, 

 sharp, tooth ; size small ; rostrum and antennas 



longer B. BTSTITLJE, Steph. 



(cerosorun*, Herbst.) 



3. All the femora simple ; size small ; rostrum and 



antennae shorter B. RrBiDUS, Gyll. 



ii. Rostrum black, at all events from base to insertion 

 of antennae, sometimes slightly reddish in front ; 



