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opening, which she afterwards thrusts to the bottom of the cut with 

 her snout; then cuts the crescent around one side of the orifice. One 

 egg only is deposited in an opening, which is elongate-oval in form, 

 about three-hundredths of an inch long, the diameter being about one- 

 third the length ; it is of a pearly-white color. Each female is sup- 

 posed to have a stock of from fifty to one hundred eggs, and to deposit 

 from five to ten a day. While those which appear earliest begin this 

 work about the middle of May, it is continued by others which ap- 

 pear later, until the last of June or the first of July ; thus extending 

 the period of egg depositing to about two months. 



The larva which is hatched from the egg is a little footless worm, 

 somewhat maggot-like, except that it has a distinct head and is less 

 attenuate at the extremity ; is of a glassy yellowish-white color, but 

 partakes more or less of the color of the flesh of the fruit in which it 

 resides; there is a lighter line running along each side of the body, 

 with a row of minute black bristles below and a less distinct one 

 above it ; the stomach is rust-red or dark-brown, the head is yellowish 

 or pale brown. Length when full grown about two-fifths of an inch. 

 The fruit containing this grub does not usually mature but falls to 

 the ground before it is fully ripe and before the grub is quite fully 

 grown. When it has completed this stage it leaves the fruit now on 

 the ground, and burrows a few inches into the earth where it passes 

 the pupa state. This requires about three weeks, when it comes forth 

 in the perfect or beetle state. 



Whether it is single or double brooded is one of the questions long 

 in dispute, and in regard to which there is yet considerable difference 

 of opinion. Prof. Riley who has tested the matter by enclosing a tree 

 sr> that none could escape or enter, found those enclosed single brooded, 

 the exceptions amounting to but one per cent. As this accords with 

 what might naturally be expected from its history so far as positive- 

 ly known, from the fact that its normal habit is to pass the larva 

 state in the flesh of a fruit that scarcely continues long enough to al- 

 low for two broods, and from what is known of other closely allied 

 species, we may take for granted as pretty well settled that it is single 

 brooded. This conclusion, connected with the fact that it usually 

 passes through the pupa state in about three weeks, would appear, if 

 well established, to settle the point that it passes the winter as a 

 beetle, which is another point about which there has been much dis- 

 pute. Dr. Hull, who had much experience with this insect, conclud- 

 ed it was single brooded, but was inclined to believe it passed the 

 winterjn the preparatory state in the ground, but Prof. Riley's ex- 

 periment appears to have indicated pretty clearly that this is not the 

 rule, but that it hybernates as a beetle. 



It is proper to add here that Mr. Walsh, who was a very careful ob- 

 server, after most thorough experiments in reference to the time the 

 perfect insect makes its appearance, gave it as his decided opinion 

 that, as a rule, the species is double-brooded. P>ut I consider Prof. 

 Riley's experiment as the most decisive and satisfactory. 



As is now well known it attacks plums, nectarines, apricots, cher- 

 ries, peaches, apples, pears, and quinces, but it does not so readily 

 mature in the apple, as this fruit appears to be too juicy for it; it also 

 deposits in the black knot on plum trees. 



