196 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
for specific determination, but here I especially call attention 
to the pairing, since the life-history of these very abundant 
weevils is still unknown. It is not difficult to procure eggs, 
but further than that I believe no one has succeeded. ‘The know- 
ledge of the economy of Sitones is not only entomologically 
important, but is of great utilitarian interest, since very little 
can be done to destroy the hardy, hybernating, insignificant 
beetle itself; in its earlier stages it may be less capable of resisting 
attack. 
The well-known and omnivorous woodlice (Oniscus asellus) 
are readily discovered at their evening meals. It is not always 
they are so destructive to our pea crops, but this year they have, 
I know from actual experience, destroyed much. The young 
succulent early peas, where grown near their haunts, was almost 
the only living vegetable growth to which they could resort. 
Unfavourable as the seasons have been for plant life they appear 
to have had quite a contrary effect on the isopods, for I never 
remember woodlice more abundant. 
This latter remark equally applies to that destructive little 
myriopod, Polydesmus complanatus. Several evenings lately I 
should have had no difficulty in collecting these young creatures 
by the hundred, and this without traversing much ground and in 
a comparatively short time; they were so abundant. In many cases 
I found three, four, and even five on one pea; they were, however, 
much quicker in getting out of the way than the fat woodlice, 
and appeared more impatient of lhght. These hght-coloured, 
almost white, centipede-like creatures may be at once recognised 
by their deeply cleft segments, each of which bears two legs on 
each side; they are especially fragile even when living, but 
when dead and dry they can scarcely be touched without 
breaking. 
These are all contemporaneous destructives to the young peas, 
and, as I have said, an immense breadth of crop has been already 
sacrificed. Late sowings and half-plants are now the basis on 
which the general white and blue pea crop of 1879 rests, and, 
speaking agriculturally, I must say that to all present appearance 
this is likely to be a very precarious one. The “louse” (Aphides) 
only needs to be mentioned to be at once dreaded by all farmers ; 
and this year, where the pea growth is so backward and so weakly, 
it is especially liable to attack. This is a gloomy prospect, so I 
