502 Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 



The determinations of the above species were also made by Messrs. Halbert 

 and Blair, to both of whom the writer acknowledges his indebtedness. 



4. — Distribution. 



Longitarsus parvulus appears to be widely distributed. The original 

 description was made from specimens taken in Westrogothia (Sweden). 

 Illiger (87) records it from the Rhine provinces, Portugal, and Sweden. 

 According to Bargagli (2), it is common in the whole of Europe. Fowler (24) 

 gives the British and Irish distribution thus : — " Very local ; London district, 

 rare, Chatham, Dulwich; Whitstable ; Birchington; Deal; Ditchingham, near 

 Bungay, Suffolk, abundant (Power); Ashwicken andWickenFen; Markfield, 

 Leicester ; Portsmouth district ; Seaton Down, Devon ; Ireland, Piathkurby, 

 near Wateriord (Power); Belfast (Haliday) and Armagh (Johnson)." 

 Johnson and Halbert (39) give the distribution in Ireland as follows: — 

 Donegal and Derry : Foyle district ; Antrim : Ballyeastle, Lisburn ; Down : 

 near Belfast ; Armagh : Poyntzpass ; Cavan : Ballyhaise ; Waterford. 



It is thus seen that the known range of the species in Ireland was at that 

 time (1901) confined to the province of Ulster, with a single record from 

 Munster. In the meantime, further records have been obtained from these 

 two provinces, but as yet no specimens of the species would appear to have 

 been taken in Leinster or Connaught. This may be due to the non- 

 occurrence of the species as a pest, or, perhaps, to the absence of collectors, 

 since it is readily conceivable that if iiax were to be grown in north-west 

 Co. Louth, it would be attacked like that grown in south Co. Armagh and 

 south-west Co. Down. Of late years the species has become so prevalent in 

 the flax-growing districts of Co. Cork as to constitute a serious pest, although 

 Johnson aird Halbert give no record from that county. In September, 1921, 

 the writer took an opportunity of visiting a flax-growing district in Leinster 

 (Co. Wexford), and made a search for flax-beetles, but without success. 



5. — Descmption and Habits of the Adult. 



The adult has been studied by many systematic workers on the Coleoptei'a, 

 and representative descriptions are given in various publications (24) (60) ; 

 hence a detailed description is not considered necessary here. An enlarged 

 drawing of the adult is, however, shown in the figure A. 



Except immediately prior to egg-laying, the sexes can hardly be dis- 

 tinguished at sight. The gravid females are, however, quite distinct from the 

 males, as the abdomen is distended ventrallj^ and posteriorly, so that the 

 elytra do not completely cover it, but appear somewhat convex. Moreover, 



