NUT LEAF- WEEVIL. 119 



from May until the middle of June they feed on the buds and 

 leaves and the bark of the young shoots, and in various 

 localities have destroyed young trees of the above-mentioned 

 kinds. In the middle of June pairing takes place on the 

 plants. The larvae live in the earth ; any injury caused by 

 them is, however, still unknown." — (E. L. T.) 



As this little beetle is hardly the fifth of an inch in length, 

 a figure would not be of much assistance for general purposes; 

 but it maj^ be described as not unlike the nearly allied Pea 

 and Clover Leaf- Weevil (Sitones) in general shape ; black in 

 colour, but so closely covered with grey and brownish scales 

 as, excepting where these are rubbed off, to be mostly of a 

 brownish colour ; rostrum short ; antennre elbowed and rust 

 red ; legs also rust red ; wing-cases with stripes of punctures 

 and rows of bristles between them, stripe at base of the suture 

 of the wing-cases black (this is an important characteristic) ; 

 wings none. 



The above is the only occasion on which S. corijli has been 

 sent me as an injurious infestation ; but in Stephens's 

 ' Manual ' (p. 245), it is mentioned as occurring in this 

 country "on Hazel; generally distributed " ; and Kaltenbach,* 

 in his German observations, notes that " this injurious weevil- 

 beetle appears in the spring for the most part in great numbers, 

 and gnaws the leaves of Hazels," &c. Therefore it seems 

 worth while to note its presence, and more particularly as 

 some doubt has been expressed as to the kind infesting Pine 

 being more probably the smaller species, S. ohesus, Marsh., 

 than S. coryli. But though the kinds are very similar, there 

 are distinctive characteristics, and in those sent me from the 

 Coniferae near Northampton, the kind being S. coryli, Fab., 

 was not open to doubt. 



Eemedy. — The only remedial measure known appears to be 

 beating down the beetles and destroying them. 



Observation. — In the ' Arboretum et Fruticetum Britanni- 

 cum ' of the late J. C. Loudon the Nut is mentioned as being 

 attacked by numerous species of insects. Amongst these, the 

 attacks of caterpillars of about thirteen species of moths, 

 seventeen beetle attacks, and various others, as of Plant-bugs, 

 Aphides, &c., are mentioned by name ; but from whatever 

 cause (possibly from improved methods of cultivation allowing 

 less shelter to the insects) so very little complaint is sent 

 regarding insect infestation to this crop, that it seems fair to 

 suppose that the injuries are not now to such an extent. — 

 E. A. 0. 



* ' Die Ptianzenfeinde,' p. 590. 



