FIELD BOOK OF INSECTS. 



Prosternum forming a triangular plate in front of the 

 coxae; beak received in the breast in repose; tarsi narrow, 

 not dilated. Thecesterninae. Thecesternus humeralis of the 

 Mississippi Valley is the most eastern, known species. 



11. Beak never long and slender; mandibles with a decidu- 

 ous cusp, leaving a scar Otiorhynchinas (p. 399). 



Beak usually elongate, slender or, if short and stout, 

 received in the breast in repose. . . . Curculioninae (p. 400). 



12. Tip of abdomen covered by elytra. Cossoninas. 

 The shining, black species of Cossonus, about .25 in. long, 

 are sometimes found in numbers under bark. 



Tip of abdomen not covered by elytra 



Calandrinae (p. 403). 



Attelabinss 



This is a small family of small beetles. The larvag feed 

 on the inside of "houses" prepared for them by their 

 mothers. Pupation is said to take place underground. I 

 quote concerning Attelabus rhois (Plate LXXXVT) from 

 the Fifth Report of the U. S. Entomological Commission, 

 a most excellent account of insects injurious to forest and 

 shade trees by A. S. Packard. 'The singular thimble- 

 like rolls of this weevil may be found in June and July 

 on the alder, and also occur on the hazel, according to 

 LeConte [I have found them in large numbers on hazel]. 

 When about to lay her eggs, the female begins to eat a slit 

 near the base of the leaf on each side of the midrib, and at 

 right angles to it, so that the leaf may be folded together. 

 Before beginning to roll up the leaf she gnaws the stem 

 nearly off, so that after the roll is made, and has dried 

 for perhaps a day, it is easily detached by the wind and 

 falls to the ground. When folding the leaf, she tightly 

 rolls it up, neatly tucking in the ends, until a compact, 

 cylindrical solid mass of vegetation is formed. Before 

 the leaf is entirely rolled she deposits a single egg, rarely 

 two, in the middle next to the midrib, where it lies loosely 

 in a little cavity. While all this is going on her consort 

 stands near by and she occasionally runs to him to receive 

 his caresses, to again resume her work." As we have but a 

 single genus, Attelabus, and the habits are so interesting, 



398 



