FAMILV CIRlTI-IOMU-E. lit 



This spetifS has a wiiit- ranm' : it is IdUiul in Canada, Xortherii New-York, Wihcoiiaiii, 

 and Massuihuselts. 



Tlu' I'lllowiiig remarks of I'l-uf. IIai.dkman ait- Iiii,'hl} .■i])iPioiiriatf in thi> jilaco : 



'Among ihyncoi)horous colcoptera, llie rimu^ Bai.amms is roniiirkal>)r_f« r having a 

 very long slender snout, fVe(iuintly exceeding the I»ody in length, and hearing a pair of 

 antenmic as slender as a hair. Chesnuts are frequently found infested with a fleshy grub, 

 which feeds upon the interior, and fills the cavity with its castings in the shape of dust. 

 This is the larva of B«/n7i{n«* iiascicus (Say). It is densely clothed with short hair mottled 

 with ferruginous. An allied but smaller species is found in tlie larva state in the nut of 

 the ('(isfnnca piimiln, or chinquapin. These larva* are very difficult to raise to the perfect 

 state wlien the attempt is made, ami it is i)rol>al)le that many perish from various con- 

 tingencies. 



' Cotwtrachchis »iPH(/;)^fjr (Herbst), subsef|iicntl}' named Rhynrhffnus argii/a by Fabuicus, 

 is very destructive to the fruit of the plum, which the larvfp inhabit, and cause to fall 

 prematurely. This damage is so great in some sections, that not a single plum can be 

 raised to maturity. When the friut falls, the grubs penetrate into the ground ; so that lo 

 check their increase, it is advisable to collect and destroy these (as by boiling and feeding 

 them to hogs), including such u{)on the trees as piesent a dwarfed, imiieifect, or gummy 

 appearance. Paving th(^ ground around the trees is said to answer an txcellent purpose, 

 and it is well known tliat plum trees tlourish well when planted in pavements. This is a 

 small rough insect of a brown color, irregularly marked wiiii white, black and yellow; 

 and the snout is held ui)onor near tlie breast. It is said by Dr. Harris to have been raised 

 from the black warty excrescences found upon the smaller branches of plum and cherry 

 trees. The Rev. D. Ziegler of York (Pennsylvania) has shown me specimens of the butter- 

 fly whicli dnScr.)ys the pjaeh-tree (Eireria esillosa), raised from these excrescences, which 

 difler from those taken from about the root vl' the tree in being considerably smaller : the 

 two forms have not, however, been rigidly compared. 



'The Genus Siroi-nii-us includes a niuiibir of small insects called weevil, which are 

 destructive to stored grain, as wheat, rice and corn ; and under circumstances favorable to 

 their increase, great quantities are destroyed or dei>reciated in value. The use of salt, and 

 kiln-drying, have boeii recommended as preventatives. The latter process may be per- 

 formed in an economical manner b) erecting a stove with a vertical pipe fifteen or twenty 

 foet in height : around this pipe, and about three inches from it on every side, a second 

 one of wood is lo be placed ; and whilst the heat from the lire passes through the inner 

 one, the grain is to bo passed through the cavity between the pipes, and at >ueh a rate as 

 to [)revenl it from being injured by t«H) high a temperature. Tlie moisture will be more 

 effectually driven otV if the outer pipe is made with o|)en joints. beeau>e otherwise it must 

 rise tlirough the whole <-oliuiin before it can escape, and much of it will condcn.se and 1>« 



