4 THE RICE WATER-WEEVIL. 



velopecl in an argillaceous coating, which renders scales and sculpture irrecog- 

 nizable. Rostrum stout, as long as head and thorax, subeylindrical, densely 

 rugosely punctulate, neither sulcate nor carinate; head densely punctulate. 

 Thorax as long as wide, constricted anteriorly, lateral lobes well developed, 

 sides moderately rounded, base truncate, a finely impressed median line, sur- 

 face densely rugosely punctate, sides at middle with a shallow transverse im- 

 pression. Elytra much wider at base than thorax and about twice as long; 

 humeri oblique, strongly declivous at apex, punctate-striate, interstices wide, 

 subconvex, 3d and 5th more prominent at declivity than the rest. Prosternum 

 flattened, transversely impressed in front of coxa?; abdomen coarsely punctate. 

 Tibiae somewbat curved, armed with a strong terminal hook; tarsi narrow, 

 third joint not emarginate; claws slender, approximate. 



Very little difference exists between the sexes. The females usually 

 have a slightly larger body than the males, and are often more dis- 

 tinctly marked with a black area on the back. The marks of colora- 

 tion, however, show more plainly on live moistened specimens in the 

 field than on dry examples either alive or dead. According to Mr. 

 W. D. Pierce, a secondary sexual character is presented by the con- 

 figuration of the scrobe on the beak. He has determined that the 

 scrobe of the female is slightly curved, but in the male it is practi- 

 cally straight. These fine distinctions are difficult to make out with 

 certainty on account of the natural curvature of the beak. 



The jmpa. — No example of the pupa fit for description has yet been 

 obtained, as it is very soft and any slight pressure or touch that is ex- 

 erted in attempting to remove one from the mud crushes or distorts it. 



The egg. — All attempts to secure deposited eggs have afforded only 

 partial results. For purposes of description dependence must at 

 present be placed upon the appearance of eggs obtained by dissection 

 of gravid female weevils. Mr. Wilmon Xewell, in presenting a de- 

 scription based upon such observations, has stated that the egg is 

 pure white, cylindrical and slightly curved in form, and has a length 

 about five times the diameter. It is barely visible to the naked eye. 



LIFE HISTORY. 

 SEMIAQTJATIC HABITS. 



^Vater is an element in which the weevil delights. It swims readily 

 on or beneath the surface, and it feeds, rests, and mates almost as fre- 

 quently in the water as above it. To determine how long the adults 

 can live under water, Mr. C. E. Hood conducted a test in which one 

 weevil died after passing the first 24 hours of submersion, but two 

 did not die until after being kept submerged for fully 96 hours. The 

 weevil does not carry a bubble of air for breathing purposes when it 

 goes below the surface, although tiny globules of air are apt to adhere 

 to parts of the body. Without water, the insect can not breed. The 

 eggs are probably deposited on roots under water or in mud. and the 



