MICHIGAN STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 339 



in haws in winter time, were in reality the larvas of our Quince 

 Curculio. How easily are fallacies exploded and errors cor- 

 rected, even years after they are committed, by a few well 

 tested facts! 



The two former Curculios which we have been considering 

 have a beetle existence of between nine and ten months, dur- 

 ing most of which time, or as long as the weather is sufficiently 

 mild, they feed in the manner described. The present species 

 has a beetle existence of not more than two months, and, as 

 though aware of the short term allotted to it for enjoyment, 

 it endeavors to make the best use of its time. Consequently, 

 we find it more ravenous than either of the other species, and 

 jt is really astonishing how much this insect eats. It excavates 

 immense holes for food, often burying itself in them com- 

 pletely; and I have known apples furnished to these beetles 

 in confinement, to have their substance so completely devoured 

 that nothing but the rind was left. Two years ago this fall 

 there was' scarcely a quince that came into the St. Louis 

 market, that was not marred by numbers of large gougiugs, 

 and though I was then inclined to attribute such holes to the 

 gnawiugs of grasshoppers, I feel pretty well convinced at 

 present, that the work might with more justice have been 

 attributed to the Quince Curculio. 



The question will naturally arise, since this insect breeds in 

 the haw, the quince, and the pear, whether it will also breed 

 in the closely allied apple ? So far as my experimants go, they 

 indicate clearly that it will not; for although the beetle will 

 eat and greatly disfigure apples, when no other nourishment 

 is at hand, yet a number which I confined to a large branch of 

 an apple tree on the 14th of June last, absolutely refused to 

 deposit eggs, and died three weeks afterwards. 



KEMEDIES. 



Very fortunately this insects drops as readily when alarmed 

 as does the Plum Curculio, and the jarring process will be 

 found just as effectual in catching it, with the additional 



