642. 

 RHYNCHITES SIMILIS. 



Order Coleoptera. Fam. Curculionidae. 



Type of the Geims, Curculio BetuliE Linn. 

 Rhynchites Herb., Gyll., Shon., Curt. — Attelabus Fab. — Curcu- 

 lio Linn. 



Antennae inserted a little beyond the middle on the sides of the 

 rostrum, not longer than the head straight and clavate ; 11- 

 jointed, 2 basal joints ovate, stouter than the 3 following which 

 are elongate-ovate, 6th a little stouter ovate-truncate, 7th cup- 

 shaped, the remainder forming a long stout subperfoliate velvety 

 club, 8th joint cup-shaped, smaller than the 9th and 10th which 

 are more quadrate, 11th large and ovate-conic (6). 

 Mandibles with a very irregular outline, curved, the apex form- 

 ing a stout hook, the internal margin deeply concave, the out- 

 side convex and sinuated (2). 



Maxilla subquadrate, the inner margin convex and ciliated, ter- 

 minal lobe subovate and cUiated with long curved hairs, bristly 

 outside. Palpi stout subconic, triarticulate, basal joint broad 

 and bowl-shaped, 2nd similar but smaller, 3rd the smallest and 

 conical (3). 



Mentum very large, subquadrate, the sides towards the base an- 

 gulated, the anterior angles lobed with a cavity to receive the 

 Palpi, which are short stout and triarticulate, 2 basal joints 

 bowl-shaped, 1st the largest, 2nd producing a long bristle out- 

 side, 3rd small ovate (4). 

 Head ovate, rostrum nearly twice as long or longer, inflected in repose, 

 stout, slightly curved, dilated at the apex : eyes remote, placed at 

 the base of the rostrum. Thorax orbicular, broadest at the base 

 which is slightly produced over the scut el, sometimes with a porrected, 

 spine on each side in the male (T) : scutel transverse-ovate. Elytra 

 broad short ovate, truncated at the base, shoulders projecting. Wings 

 very ample. Abdomen not quite concealed by the elytra. Legs 

 rather stout : thighs moderate simple : tibi« slightly thickened at 

 the apex, not spurred or spined : tarsi spongy beneath, A-jointed, 

 basal joiiit obovate-truncate, 2nd broader hemispherical, 3rd bilobed, 

 4th clavate: claws strong (5, afore leg). 



SiMiLis Curt. Guide, Gen. 385. No. 14. 



Bright deep blue, shining, pubescent ; head punctured, sparingly 

 on the crown, rostrum broad and not longer than the head, 

 coarsely punctured with 2 or 3 ridges at the base, the apex 

 cupreous ; eyes very prominent ; club of antennae black ; thorax 

 oval, truncated, strongly and rather thickly punctured ; elytra 

 twice as broad with deeply punctured striae and rows of smaller 

 points between them ; tibise and tarsi seneous-black the hairs 

 brownish. 



In the Author's Cabinet. 



The Rhynchites live upon the leaves of plants, but are never 

 very injurious in England ; in the wine countries however 

 those beautiful species R. BetiihE and Bacchus make sad ra- 



