8 BEAN. 
lobe almost truncate; scutel quadrate lightish, longitudinally divided 
by a dusky line; elytra with the interstitial lines having a slight 
appearance of alternating whitish and dusky; on the middle of the 
third interstitial line is a more abbreviated whitish line; posterior 
thighs with a black spine and two smaller ones. Length over one- 
tenth of an inch. The whitish or cinereous markings are not very 
striking; on the elytra they may sometimes be traced into two 
obsolete macular bands.” 
This beetle in general appearance is very like the Bean and Pea 
Weevils figured at p. 4, but is rather smaller, only about one-tenth of 
an inch long, and is generally described as of a tawny-grey, with more 
or less dull yellowish, and the main point of difference is the lesser 
quantity of the white markings. But there are some very remarkable 
points in the life-history, which I quote from the paper on Pea and 
Bean Weevils by Prof. Riley (late) and Mr. L. O. Howard (present), 
Entomologists to the U.S. A. Board of Agriculture.* 
One point is the great number (as many as twenty-eight) of the 
individuals which may be found feeding at once in one Bean (a much 
worse state of things than we have present here). ‘A second point 
of difference, and one of great economic importance, is that the insects 
will continue breeding indefinitely in stored Beans.” The eggs are 
primarily laid on the Bean-pod as with our kind, and, as with us, 
some of the beetles may come out in the following autumn, some in 
the spring. ‘‘If easy means of exit are not present, the females 
will soon begin to lay their eggs upon the stored and damaged Beans, 
and another generation will soon develop. This may go on indefinitely, 
or until the food supply is exhausted. The Bean Weevil continues to 
multiply in the stored Beans. These, when infested, are usually 
reduced at last to nothing but powder, and have no value as seed.” + 
Another very great peculiarity is the possession of three pairs of 
slender legs by the larva of this species (the Bruchus faba, Riley, now 
named the B. obtectus, Say) in its first stage. Thus, with the help of 
some other structural peculiarities, it can travel about among the 
Beans, and make its way within where it finds a spot on the seed 
suited for its entrance (vide paper quoted below). 
For full information regarding this attack, with figures, &c., the 
reader is referred to the number of ‘ Insect Life’ cited, also the exhaus- 
tive paper by Dr. Lintner (of which the title is given below |), together 
with the works and previous U.§. A. publications therein quoted; but 
haying myself had the opportunity of observation of this species in 
* See ‘Insect Life,’ vol. iv., Nos. 9 and 10, pp. 299—3802. 
t Loc. cit., pp. 299—300. 
t ‘Seventh Report of the Injurious and other Insects of the State of New York,’ 
by J. A. Lintner, Ph.D., State Entomologist, pp. 255—288. 
