20 CUKCULIONID.i:. 



informs ine that lie has reasons to suppose that tlie very small 

 cylindrical weevils of the genus Phamomenis are predaceous on 

 bark-beetles of the family Scolytid.e. The slender rostrum and 

 minute mandibles of these weevils seem ill-adapted to such a 

 diet, and judgment on the question ma}^ well be suspended until 

 definite evidence is forthcoming. 



In the adult stage the majority of weevils frequent the foliage 

 of ti'ees, slirubs and herbaceous plants, comparatively few of 

 them being especially attracted to flowers. Another large section, 

 containing representatives of many subfamilies, are mainly terres- 

 trial in tlieir habits. In this group, -which is but poorly repre- 

 sented in the Indian fauna, the species are, almost M"ithout 

 exception, dull-coloured and have lost the power of flight. In 

 the purely terrestrial forms the tarsi have partly or completely 

 lost the adhesive spongy pads on their lower surface; many of 

 the others only pass the day on the ground for purposes of 

 concealment, ascending their food-plants at night to feed. Some 

 half-dozen European genera have been described in which the 

 species are entirely subterranean in their habits, and in all of 

 these the eyes are absent or quite rudimentary ; doubtless similar 

 forms will be found to occur in India. A few genera of weevils 

 are truly aquatic, the larval stage being passed in the stems of 

 water-plants beneath the water. Two such genera have been 

 recorded from within our limits, namely, Bagous and Litodacti/lvs ; 

 the species of the former are not able to swim, but merely drift 

 through the water if they lose their hold on the food-plant, 

 whereas the species of Liiodactylus use their legs for swimming, 

 although these are not in any way specially modified for the 

 purpose. Among the Cossonin^ the majority of the species are 

 to be found under bark, a mode of life which is very unusual in 

 other subfamilies. It is somewhat remarkable, seeing the diversity 

 of their tastes, that no species of this family appear to have been 

 found living in fungi. A very few truly myrmecophilous and 

 termitophilons weevils have been described, but hitherto none 

 has been recorded from India. 



Taken as a whole, the colouring of weevils is distinctly sombre, 

 greys and browns being in overwhelming preponderance. "Witli 

 few exceptions the gayer colours and patterns are due to the 

 scaly covering, the integument being usually black or brown, 

 though sometimes yellowish in the forms that frequent flowers. 

 Outside of the Rhtjsxhitin^ brilliant metallic colouring of the 

 integument is scarcely to be found except among the Baeidin.i: 

 and their immediate allies ; among the Calandkin.^: I know of 

 only a single, apparently undescribed, species from Singapore 

 in which the elytra are of a metallic green colour. In spite of 

 this general tendency to sobriety in colour, the Curculionid^ 

 have produced some of the most beautiful creatures in the insect 

 world, among which may be mentioned the large i<\iy -blue JiJuphohts 

 of Papua; the PacJnp'rhi/nchus of the Philippines, adorned with 

 strange patterns glittering with green, blue, gold and copper; 



