THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 51 



beyond the wing-covers and which is otherwise known as the py- 

 gidium, is densely clothed with grayish pubescence, and shows in cer- 

 tain lights four minute dark dots, but no indication of the two large 

 oval spots so characteristic of our Pea-weevil. The four basal joints 

 of the autennre and the front legs are reddish, and the inner spine of 

 the hind shanks is prolonged. 



It would be a sad misfortune to have this insect added to our list 

 of injurious species, and it is no wonder that upon discovering speci 

 mens of our own Pea-weevil just disclosed in a parcel of peas which 

 he had taken with him from America, the Swedish traveler Kalm 

 was thrown into such a trepidation lest he should be the instrument 

 of introducing so fatal an evil into his beloved country. 



To give some idea of the habits of the Grain Bruchus, I quote the 

 following account from Curtis's Farm Insects: — 



"This species, which is everywhere abundant as early as Febru- 

 ary on the furze when it is in blossom, inhabiting also the flowers of 

 various other plants in the beetle state, as the Rhubarb, Meadow- 

 sweet (Spiraea ulmaria), etc., is a most destructive insect in our pea 

 and bean fields, the larvae feeding in the seeds and sometimes destroy- 

 ing more than half the crop. They are exceedingly abundant in some 

 parts of Kent, where they often swarm at the end of May, and are oc- 

 casionally found as late as August; indeed I killed one in November, 

 imported with Russian beans, which had been alive since the end of 

 September. It attempted to fly away in October; it then became 

 torpid, but on warming it by a tire in the middle of November, it was 

 as lively and active as in the height of summer, and I dare say would 

 have lived through the winter. 



"It is said that the female beetles select the finest peas to deposit 

 their eggs in, and sometimes they infest crops to such an extent that 

 they are eaten up by them, little more than the husk being lefr. The 

 various kinds of beans are equally subject to their inroads; besides 

 the long-pods I have alluded to, I have had broad Windsor beans sent 

 to me containing these Bruehi; and Mr. C. Parsons transmitted me 

 some horse-beans in the beginning of August, 1842, which were en- 

 tirely destroyed by them. Mr. F. J. Graham showed me some seed 

 beans which were inoculated by these beetles to a great extent, and 

 some of them were alive in the seeds; yet to any one ignorant of the 

 •economy of this pest, there would not appear the slightest external 

 indication of their operations. I also received from a gentleman resid- 

 ing in Norfolk a sample of seed beans from Russia, for winter sowing, 

 a large proportion of which was perforated by this Bruchus. 



"It has already beenintimated that as the beetles generally leave 

 the germ uninjured, the vitality of infested seeds is not destroyed. I 

 doubt, however, if they produce strong healthy plants; and from my 

 own experience I have no doubt if peas and beans be sown contain- 

 ing the Bruchus granarius* that the beetles will hatch in the ground, 

 and thus the cultivator will entail upon himself a succession of dis- 

 eased pea and bean crops. Now to avoid this loss, the seed should be 

 examined before sowing, when to an experienced eye the presence of 

 these beetles will be discernible, where to a common observer they 

 would appear sound and good. The maggots, when arrived at their 

 full size, gnaw a circular hole to the husk or skin of the seed, whether 

 pea or bean, and even cut around the inner surface which covers the 

 aperture, so that a slight pressure from within will force this lid oil; 



