110 Weevils of the Genus Sitona 



time they were abundant also at roots of clover in the fields in Ross-shire. 

 The larvae obtained in the above breeding experiments in December 

 died during the winter. It will be seen that they were the product of 

 eggs laid in July and under natural conditions only a very few eggs are 

 laid at this time. No larvae of this species have been found in the fields 

 in winter though repeated search has been -made in locaUties where the 

 adult is common. A small Sitona pupa, probably of this species was, 

 however, obtained on January 4th and it is possible that a few individuals, 

 resulting from eggs laid late in the summer, may pass the winter in the 

 pupal stage. Larvae of this species obtained from the fields in July gave 

 rise to imagines from July 30th to October 1st. 



Insect Parasites. 

 Insect parasites of Sitona sulcifrons appear to be rare and none have 

 hitherto been recorded. Two Braconids, Perilitus cerealium Hal. and a 

 species of Liophron have, however, been bred from adult S. sulcifrons 

 and single Hymenopterous larvae have occasionally been found within 

 the body of the beetles. 



Fungus Parasite. 



Similar to that of S. hispidula. 



C. SITONA CRINITA Herbst. 



Sitona crinita is one of the principal species mentioned by Miss 

 Ormerod(35) and Curtis (3i) as attacking peas and beans in England, and 

 for this reason it has been included in the present research. So far, 

 however, I have not found it sufficiently abundant on any crop to cause 

 injury, but its profusion upon tares in the south of England is recorded 

 by Walton (37) and Eye (27) and Mr S. R. Ashby tells me that he has found 

 it very commonly upon vetches in Kent and in Cambridgeshire. At Wye, 

 Kent, I have found it generally distributed and sometimes common on 

 tares, but never abundant. It frequented the same food plants as 

 S. lineata but was always vastly outnumbered by that species. It is rare 

 in Scotland. Abroad it is widely distributed, occurring according to 

 Allard(i), Reitter(i3) and Henshaw(33), throughout Europe, in Central 

 and East Asia, North Africa and America. It is recorded in Russia (26, 32, 36) 

 as a pest of cultivated Leguminosae, and only in that country has its 

 life-history been investigated (32). 



Food-plants. Tares {Vicia sativa), lucerne {Medicago sativa), medick 

 {Medicago lupulina), sainfoin^ {Onobrychis sativa) all species of clover; 



1 Mr p. Harwood tells me he has taken *S'. crinitu m abundance on sainfoin near Newbury 

 in August, 1907. 



