CHAPTER XL 



EHYNCHOPHORA, OR WEEVILS. 



TaESE terribly destructive insects do not attain any great <n- 

 mensions in England, but they make up for their dimiuutivt.' 

 yize by their enormous numbers. How many species are knowa 

 to inhabit this country it is impossible to say, as new species 

 — especially those of small size — are continually being added to 

 our lists ; but if we say that about five hundred British species 

 are at present known, we shall be very near their number. 



The name Rhynchophora is formed from two Greek words, 

 signifying 'snout-bearer,' and is given to these insects because 

 the head is very much prolonged and narrowed, in some species 

 looking like the long curved beak of the ibis or curlew. The 

 mouth and its accompanying organs are always at the enri of 

 this beak, and in some species of Weevils the resemblance to 

 the head and mouth of the Porcupine Ant-eater of Australia is 

 really startling. The name of Tetramera, or ' four-jointed,' was 

 formerly given to this group, because its members appear to have 

 only four joints in the tarsi. Mr. Westwood, however, with his 

 wonted acuteness, pointed out that there were really five joints, 

 the missing joint being microscopically small, and hidden 

 under the lobes of the third joint. Several of these tarsi may 

 be seen on Woodcut XVII. The three basal joints of the 

 tarsus are always furnished with a thick pad beneath, and may 

 be seen by examining the feet of any of our common Weevils 

 with a pocket-lens. 



The antennae are always set well in front on the ' rostrum,' 

 or beak, and in most, though not in all, species are furnished 

 with a very long basal joint, so that they are elbowed, or ' ge- 

 niculated,' according to the scientific term. I shall in this 

 work always use the English forms of such words, provided that 

 ^J[ley express the same idea as the scientific term, which will, 



M » 



