THE CURCULIONIANS. 69 



is met with in the burrow formed by the larva. It is of 

 a yellowish-white color ; the head is bent under the thorax, 

 and the snout rests on the breast between the folded legs 

 and wings : the back is furnished with transverse rows of 



O * 



little thorns or sharp teeth, and there are two larger thorns 

 at the extremity of the body. These minute thorns probably 

 enable the pupa to move towards the mouth of its burrow 

 when it is about to be transformed, and may serve also to 

 keep its body steady during its exertions in casting off its 

 pupa skin. These insects are most abundant in trees that 

 have been cut down for timber or fuel, which are generally 

 attacked during the first summer after they are felled ; it 

 has also been ascertained that living trees do not always 

 escape, but those that are in full vigor are rarely perforated 

 by grubs of this kind. The credit of discovering the habits 

 and transformations of the Northern Brenthus is due to the 

 Rev. L. AV. Leonard, of Dublin, New Hampshire, who has 

 favored ma with specimens in all their forms. This insect 

 is now known to inhabit nearly all the States in the Union. 

 I am inclined to think that the Brenthians ought to be placed 

 at the end of the weevil tribe ; but I have not ventured to 

 alter the arrangement generally adopted. 



The rest of the weevils are short and thick beetles, differ- 

 ing from all the preceding in their antennae, which are bent 

 or elbowed near the middle, the first joint being much longer 

 than the rest. Their feelers are not perceptible. They be- 

 long to the family CURCULIONID^E, so called from the princi- 

 pal genus, Curculio, a name given by the Romans to the corn- 

 weevil. The Curculionians vary in the form, length, and 

 direction of their snouts. Those belonging to the old genus 

 Curculio have short and thick snouts, at the extremity of 

 which, and near to the sides of the mouth, the antennas are 

 implanted ; those to which the name of Rhynclmnus was for- 

 merly applied have longer and more slender snouts, usually 

 bearing the antennas on or just behind the middle ; and the 

 third great genus, called Calandra, contains long-snouted 



