( XV ) 



and subsequent development of Sitones lineatus. These have been taken 

 by Mr. Thos. H. Hart, of Park Farm, Kingsnorth, Kent, who is well 

 accustomed to insect observations, and who first noticed the curculionideous 

 larvae feeding amongst the roots of his peas on the 31st May. These he 

 sent information of to myself at the time, and during the course of his 

 observations, which he carried on carefully until the 4th July, when the 

 first of the Sitones developed, which he identified as S. Uneatus. I now give 

 a part of the observations which, at my request, he wrote out in detail. 



" Mr. Hart mentions the severe injury suffered at one time by his peas, 

 at another by his bean crop, from Sitones, together with his wish from the 

 commencement of his studies as an entomologist to make out the much- 

 wished-for point of the feeding-place of the larva. All his examinations, 

 however, were useless until, on his attention being drawn to the clover-root 

 feeding larvae, he again examined the pea- roots, and instead (as in previous 

 examinations) of drawing up the plant, he dug them up bodily, and carefully 

 removed the earth, and thus secured the curculionideous larvae feeding 

 amongst the roots. 



" These larvae are whitish, plump, much wrinkled, with brown or 

 ochreous head, and powerful projecting jaws ; legs none, and the extremity 

 of the anal segment used as a foot. The length, when full grown, is about 

 three-sixteenths of an inch. In this state it appears to do little damage 

 compared to that which is afterwards caused by the fully-developed weevil. 



" There were indications of the grubs having eaten channels along the 

 main roots, but the peculiar gall-growth on the fibres appeared to be their 

 favourite food, and the fact that some of the larvae had ensconced themselves 

 within these galls caused doubts in the mind of the observer as to whether 

 the formation of this gall-growth was due to the weevil, but no larvae could 

 be found by Mr. Hart in galls which were without a visible entrance. 



"When full-fed the larva forms an oval cell, without any lining, about two 

 inches under-ground, and at once undergoes its transformation. The pupa 

 is white, but as it matures the eyes become black and the rostrum pitchy ; 

 each segment of the abdomen has a row of short spines, and the anal one 

 a pair of long spines placed one on each side of the extremity. 



" The imago is at first creamy white, with the head pitchy and eyes 

 black. Specimens confined in a box attained their normal colouring (which 

 Mr. Hart describes in full) in about forty-eight hours ; but at large the 

 weevils do not appear to leave their nidus for some time longer, probably 

 to admit of their integuments becoming fully hardened before exposure. 



" The development of the first imago took place on July 4th — that is, 

 about five weeks from the time of the first observation of the larvae ; and to 

 the above notes, which I iiave given nearly in Mr. Hart's words, he adds a 

 good deal that is of interest practically, regarding the damage caused by the 

 weevils, and some of their habits, through which they may, at least in some 



