Page:Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, Volume 9.djvu/21

TRANSACTIONS

OF THE

LINNEAN SOCIETY.

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I. The Genus Apion of Herbst's Natursystem considered, its Characters laid down, and many of the Species described. By the Rev. William Kirby, F.L.S.

Read June 4, 1805.

There are certain tribes of insects, the species of which are so slightly marked by any apparent difference of size, shape, or colour, that, for want of sufficient examination, many are set aside as mere varieties, which, when they are minutely inspected, exhibit characters very strong and discriminative. Amongst these there are none more liable to be confounded, or that occasion more trouble to the entomologist, who wishes to be accurately acquainted with them, than those minute Weevils, which, in Herbst's Natursystem, under the name of Apion, are considered as a separate genus from Curculio^[1]: they constitute Mr. Marsham's second section of his first division of his first family of that genus^[2], and are arranged by Fabricius, and after him

1. Tom. vii. p. 100. tab. 102, 103. and Q, fig. 6. 7. 8.
2. Viz. A. a. * *. Longirostres Antennis integris femoribus simplicibus abdomine ovato aculo, rostro filiforni, thorace teretiusculo. Nudiusculi.