BEETLES 73 



have been carried long distances in sailing ships. 

 Cultivated plants of many kinds are attacked by 

 members of the genus Otiorhynchus and their allies. 

 The commonest species is O. picipes, known to 

 gardeners as the " clay-coloured weevil.' 7 The larvae 

 attack roots, while the adults injure young, succulent 

 shoots. Another genus 1 comprises numerous tiny 

 species, all more or less pear-shaped in form. Most of 

 them frequent leguminous plants, and several are harm- 

 ful to the cultivated clovers, the weevils eating holes 

 in the leaves, and laying their eggs in the seeds, which 

 the larvae destroy, In fine, the habits of very many 

 Rhynchophora run counter to the interests of civilized 

 I mankind,, and the whole series has thus fallen into 

 serious disrepute. Nevertheless, it includes not a few 

 species that are harmless judged from the economic 

 standpoint ; and certain of these display instincts that 

 are unsurpassed by any other beetles. For example, the 

 female Attelabus cuvculionoides, at the expense of much 

 labour, cuts and rolls oak - leaves into compact, 

 thimble-shaped masses, in which she deposits her eggs. 

 When hatched, the larvae eat the inner part of the 

 mass, but eventually allow themselves to fall to the 

 ground, where they pupate and pass the winter. 

 Other " leaf-rolling weevils " are found upon trees and 

 shrubs of various kinds 



Another family of the Rhynchophora viz., Scolytidtz 

 includes the so-called " bark-beetles." These are 

 distinguished by having the rostrum extremely short, 

 while the antennae are also short, with a broad club. 

 The females make tunnels between the bark and the 

 wood of trees, and lay their eggs therein. From this 

 " mother gallery," as it is called, the young grubs 

 1 Apion* 



