In 1832 Lord Farnham informed me that the Beech trees 

 on his estate in Cavan, Ireland, had for the last 3 or 4 years 

 suffered, not only in appearance, from the leaves being par- 

 tially blighted by a species of these insects (O. Fagi) in June 

 and the beginning of July, when they assumed an autumnal 

 appearance, but the general health of the trees seemed to be 

 considerably impaired. It appeared that on the bud opening 

 it was immediately occupied by the Orchestes, which perfo- 

 rated the leaves, and to so great an extent that scarcely a tree 

 escaped. 



On the 10th of June in the previous year, in a ramble 

 through the New Forest, I observed the leaves of the trees 

 looked very brown, and those of the Beech were quite blistered, 

 which I at first attributed to the severe frost we had in the 

 morning of the 6th of May; but on examining them I found a 

 larva was inclosed in each leaf, which in a short time changed 

 to O. Faf^i; so that at the period Lord Farnham observed it in 

 Ireland, this beetle seemed to have been equally abundant in 

 England. 



The Elm is equally subject to the attacks of another species, 

 which is named, but somewhat improperly, O. Alni. A lady 

 sent me some specimens from larvae she detected in the leaves 

 of the Elm the end of May and beginning of June; they blis- 

 tered the leaves from feeding on the parenchyma in a similar 

 way to the other species, and the beetles hatched in June. 



Schiinherr has given the following sections in Orchestes, and 

 21 species are recorded in the Guide. 



1. Posterior Jemora denticulated. 

 1. Alni Linn. — Doji. Brit. Ins. v. 7. pi. 24^9./. 2. 



9^. Waltoni Curt. Brit. Ent.pl. 678. This undescribed spe- 

 cies was found near Knaresborough by J. Walton, Esq., whose 

 laboi'ious investigation of the Apions and other Curculio- 

 nidae entitle him to the thanks of all entomologists. Several 

 specimens were swept off herbage on the sides of ditches the 

 beginning of last September. 



2. Posterior thighs unarmed. 



1 1. Salicis Linn. — Avellanae Don. B. I. v. 6. pi. 205. f. 3. 

 3. Tachyerges Sch<3. Funiculus'! -jointed: thighs always simple. 

 15. Capreae Fab. — Don. 4. \2\.f. 5. 6. 7- — bifasciatus Fah. 



Schcinherr in his characters of this genus does not notice 

 the singular pectination of the tibise, and he says the apex is 

 720/ uncinated. It appears from his work that great confusion 

 has been made in the " Illustrations," several species being 

 placed under the wrong divisions; for instance, Mr. Stephens's 

 Orchestes decoratus is a Tachyerges, and his T. Salicis and 

 Populi are not Tachyerges. Many of the synonyms also are 

 incorrect and consequently mislead. 



The Plant is Veronica montana. Mountain Speedwell, com- 

 municated by Dr. Brom field. 



