COLEOPTERA. 59 1 



at base and tip ; the elytra are rounded at the tip and en- 

 tirely cover the abdomen. These beetles infest the stami- 

 nate flowers of coniferous trees, in which the eggs are laid. 



The family Rhynchitid^e (Rhyn-chit'i-dae) includes 

 Snout-beetles in which the elytral fold is very feeble, the la- 

 brum is wanting, and in which the mandibles are toothed 

 both on the outer and inner side. The mandibles can be 

 spread widely, and when closed the outer tooth at the end 

 of each projects forward so that two small acute teeth seem 

 to project from the mouth. 



The most common member of this family is Rhynchites 

 bicolor (Rhyn-chi'tes bi'co-lor) (Fig. 721). This is red above, 

 except the snout, and black below ; the body, not in- .ot*^ 

 eluding the snout, is about one fourth inch long, ..^^ifl^ 

 the snout is half that length. The adults are often p IG> 721i 

 abundant on wild roses. 



The family Attelabid^; (At-te-lab'i-dae), or Leaf-rolling 

 Weevils is composed of beetles that have neither an elytral 

 fold nor a labrum, and in which the mandibles are flat, 

 pincer-shaped, and toothed on the inner side. The elytra do 

 not entirely cover the abdomen, and each is separately 

 rounded at the tip. Only five species are known from this 

 country, four from the Atlantic States, and one from New 

 Mexico; all belong to the genus Attelabus (At-tel'a-bus). 

 The females provide for their young in a very remarkable 

 way. They make compact thimble-shaped rolls from the 



leaves of trees (Fig. 722) and lay a single egg in each. 



The larvae feed on the inner parts of these rolls, and 



when full grown enter the ground to transform. 



Sometimes these rolls are found hanging by a narrow 

 Fig. ""722. piece to the leaf from which they were made, and 

 sometimes they are found lying on the ground separated 

 from the leaf. 



The family BYRSOPID^E (Byr-sop'i-dae) is represented in 

 North America by a single species, Thecesternus hum er alts 



