520 Obsef'vations on the Pea Fly^ £rt'. 



for them. The common black wevel (curculio piceus) 

 m Carolina and Florida, are particularly destructive to 

 the mayz, (Indian corn) and orj'za (rice) after it is di- 

 vested of its husk, and prepared for exportation; then 

 there is no way of saving it, not even in casks, for any 

 length of time, but is entirely safe in the husk, or in the 

 rough, as the planters term it. 



Curculio ohlongus ru/o-testacius, Coleopteris angulato tu* 

 berculatis notatis, proboscide longa, deorsum arcuata. 



This insect is of the genus we call wevel, but is much 

 larger than the common black one \\'hich infests grain 

 in our granaries. They are of an oblong form, and of 

 a brown testaceous colour, yet varied with spots or 

 clouds of yellow or v/hite, and the elytron or shell which 

 covers the wings, is studded with pointed tubercles, as 

 are the thighs, legs and thorax. The proboscis is trun- 

 cated, and terminates with a serrated or toothed forceps, 

 with which they gnaw the green fruit: near the extre- 

 mity of the proboscis, are two articulated antennae, the 

 eyes ai'e placed near the base or origin of the proboscis ; 

 the legs ai'e six in number, two of which are placed on 

 the thorax, near the joint, and the other four are on the 

 sides of the body near the abdomen ; the whole insect 

 is covered with hair. 



This is the mischievous insect which destroys all 

 our stone fruit, plumbs, pears, nectarins, cheiTies &c. 

 and I believe apples, the European walnut, and other 

 fruits. But it is not in the fly or beetle state tliat they 



