THE ELEPHANT BEETLE OF THE ORANGE. 85 



As long ago as 1862 the late Mr. A. W. Scott traced 

 the transformation of this species, and the notes made at 

 the time by that observant entomologist contain some 

 interesting observations, which, through the kindness of 

 my friend Mr. E. Ford, I am able to quote. Mr. Scott 

 says: "The orange-tree, it is well known, furnishes 

 food for many insects, both externally and internally. 

 The smaller fibrous roots supply food to the larvae of 

 Cystosoma Saundersi, an interesting insect of the 

 Hymenopterous order; the leaves support the larvae of 

 our largest and most beautiful diurnal lepidopteras, as 

 well as various Aphides and Coccidce ; and the trunk is 

 used by many Coleoptera as their habitation. The latter 

 have lately increased to an alarming extent, an increase 

 which may be probably attributed to a succession of wet 

 seasons and inefficient drainage, resulting in the partial 

 decay of the roots and butt of the tree, and inducing a 

 languid circulation of the sap, and general sickliness, 

 which predisposes it to receive the attacks of this 

 obnoxious insect, which belongs to a family but too well 

 known and dreaded by agriculturalists, on account of the 

 prodigious power of multiplication possessed by some of 

 its species. I allude to the Rhynchophora of Latreille, 

 or Curculionidce of other authors, a familiar example of 

 which will at once recur to you in the Calandra \granaria, 

 or common weevil, a single pair of which, according to 

 the calculations of the celebrated De Geer, will produce 

 (among themselves and their descendents) in the course 

 of a season 23,600 individuals." 



Mr. Scott Says : ' ' Like all the pupae of the weevils, 

 the rostrum or snout is bent beneath the head, and 

 closely pressed against the head and thorax. It remains 

 in this stage for about eighteen days, when the adult 

 beetle, removing the entrance to the tunnel in which 

 it has lived, by means of its powerful mandibles or jaws, 

 crawls forth, leaving behind it a circular hole of consider- 

 able size and regular in form. During October and 

 November (in New South Wales), particularly towards 



