Mr. J. Walton on the genus Anthonomus. 417 



mate very closely to the following-, and bein,i^ subject to consi- 

 derable variation of size and colour, its varieties, without a careful 

 comparative examination, are extremely liable to be mixed, as I 

 have noticed in many cabinets, with the next species ; it may how- 

 ever be satisfactorily discriminated by its having the rostrum 

 evidently longer, more slender, with the antennae inserted further 

 from the apex ; the tooth of the anterior femur distinctly longer 

 and more robust ; the basal half of the tibia curved and more di- 

 lated within in the middle ; the posterior femora each with their 

 tooth excessively minute, and scarcely perceptible without a 

 powerful lens. 



There are foreign specimens of Cure, Druparum in the Lin- 

 nsean and British Museums, in the collection of Mr. Kirby from 

 Gyllenhal, and in my possession from Schdnherr : Cure. Drupa- 

 rum is incorrectly recorded to have been found near London and 

 in Somersetshire, but a variety of the insect now under consi- 

 deration appears to have been mistaken for it, nor has it hitherto 

 been discovered as an inhabitant of this country ; in Sweden it 

 occurs copiously on the leaves of the bird cherry, and will pro- 

 bably be found in Britain if that plant is diligently searched. 



Found plentifully on the leaves of elms ( Ulmus eampestris) near 

 Gravesend in July, and in many other localities throughout Great 

 Britain, but never, as far as my experience goes, in company with 

 the following. 



3. Anthonomus pedieularius, Linn. sec. ej. Mus., Marsh., Kirb. 

 MSS., Steph. 111. 

 Cure, fas ciatus, Marsh. 

 Rhynch. Ulmi var., Gyll., var. y. Schonh. 

 A. Pomonce, Germ. Mag. iv, p. 323. 



— Pomorum, Steph. sec. ej. Mus. 



— Ulmi var. .?, Steph. sec. ej. Man. 



— maculosus et rubrescens^ Kirb. MSS. 



I have frequently examined the insect in the cabinet of Lin- 

 naeus labelled ^pedieularius ' which agrees with his description, 

 and which is, beyond all doubt, specifically identical with this 

 insect ; I have therefore followed Marsham and Kirby in adopt- 

 ing the name given by that illustrious naturalist. 



Much doubt has hitherto existed as to the distinction of this 

 from the preceding insect : Gyllenhal, Schonherr and Stephens 

 think they are the same ; whilst Marsham, Kirby, Germar and 

 Curtis have separated them into distinct species, but without di- 

 stinguishing characters : it appears that Gyllenhal, from his de- 

 scriptions of the varieties of colour, has confounded this with the 

 preceding insect, and that by depending too much on the incon- 

 stant character of colour he has overlooked specific differences 



Ann. ^ Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 2. Vol.i. 28 



