26 BEAN BEUCHUS. 



by the help of their strong jaws writhe themselves along 

 until they find a pod hanging down conveniently for 

 them, into which they eat without delay." 



In the case of the S. African Bean-seed Maggot, the 

 view of it being able to travel about inside the pod, 

 whatever it may do outside, is confirmed by the struc- 

 ture of the maggot. On microscopic examination, I found 

 that it was, as is usual in other species of Bruchi, much 

 corrugated, but also that the three segments next to the 

 head were distinctly divided beneath from each other, 

 and that each of these segments was furnished with a 

 pair of appendages placed in the common position of 

 feet, and, as far as I could see, answering the purpose 

 of the three pairs of claw-feet which are to be found in 

 many beetle-grubs. 



In the description of the maggot of the Pea Bruchus 

 (B. pisi, Linn.), given by John Curtis, in his ' Farm 

 Insects' (p. 359), he mentions that the maggots are leg- 

 less, or have very minute feet ; this would exactly suit 

 the state of affairs with the S. African maggot. The 

 appendages appeared one-jointed, and slightly conical, 

 or curved. It has not been generally observed that the 

 maggot forms a cell of the destroyed matter round it in 

 which to turn to chrysalis. In some instances this was 

 so strong that the substance of the bean might be broken 

 away from it, as is shown by the magnified figure of a 

 small broken piece of the cell. In the infested English 

 beans this chrysalis-case may be easily observed by 

 soaking the bean for a few hours in water. It then 

 loosens from the gallery and adheres closely to the beetle 

 within it, and in cases of steeps being used to destroy the 

 pest, this adherence of the covering sodden with poisonous 

 matter to the insect would be of practical service. 



Means of Prevention and Remedy. 



Where beans are to be sown immediately, and there 

 is no likelihood of frost ensuing, steeps might be used 

 with good effect to kill the beetles in infested beans. 



