RICE WEEVIL. 143 



Omitting of necessity several genera of these 

 insects, we come to one which is among the most 

 destructive of the group. This is the RlCE WEEVIL 

 (Sitophilus oryzcz}, which is shown in the illustration 

 which accompanies this description. The generic 

 name of Sitophilus signifies ' grain-lover/ and is given 

 to the insect on account of the terrible havoc which 

 it makes in corn-stores. It belongs to the family 

 Calandridae, of which there is only one British genus, 

 that which has just been mentioned. In this family 

 the antennae have eight joints, the last joint being 

 large and rounded. The body is rather flat, and the 

 elytra, which are boldly striated, do not quite cover 

 the end of the abdomen. There is another species, 

 the CORN WEEVLi*(Stti#/ttfusgranartus^,wbich feeds 

 upon corn as the present species does on rice. The 

 Rice Weevil is distinguished by having four red spots 

 on the elytra, the Corn Weevil being altogether 

 dusky-red. 



Like the Nut Weevil, these insects do their de- 

 structive work in secret, and there is no finding out 

 the mischief until it is too late. The mother Weevil 

 - tiny herself bores a tiny hole in a grain of corn, 

 and therein deposits a single egg. The larva is soon 

 hatched - from the egg, and sets to work at feeding in 

 the interior of the grain, the whole of which it con- 

 sumes, leaving the exterior untouched, so that the 

 grain appears quite sound. Of course, the damaged 

 grain is lighter than the sound one, the body of the 

 larva not compensating in weight for the amount 

 of substance devoured by it ; and if the corn be 

 thrown into water, the damaged corn will rise to the 



