128 THE DATE PALM. 



stouter than that of the female (see illustration No. 45, Fig. 8). 

 The snout of the female is more slender and has no tuft of 

 hairs on it (see illustration No. 45, Fig. 9). The elbowed antennae 

 are inserted near the base of the snout. The terminal joint of 

 each antenna is thick, truncated and spongy. The elytra (hard 

 wing cases) are ribbed longitudinally and they do not entirely 

 cover the end of the body (see illustration No. 45, Fig. 7). 



The insects fly at night with a loud droning sound and fall 

 with a thud. They hide from the light and when disturbed 

 fold up their legs and pretend to be dead. 



The larva is at first straw-coloured but in the course of a 

 few hours its head and a small patch just behind 



The larva (worm- , i -i i , m, , -, 



like stage). its head become brown. The body remains pale 

 yellow and is soft, fleshy and wrinkled trans- 

 versely. The margins of the anal segment are slightly 

 curved upwards forming a small concavity above. There 

 are no legs of any kind. It is stated that full-grown larvae 

 in the insectary measured 6'0 to 6'5 cms. in length and2'0cms. 

 in thickness, but that larvae have been found 7 '5 cms. long on 

 trees outside the insectary. The larva is usually curved a 

 little lengthwise so that its under-side is concave and its back is 

 convex. This is especially marked when its body is contracted 

 (see illustration No. 45, Figs. 3 and 4). 



The eggs are creamy white ; their surface smooth and 

 somewhat shiny. Thev are about 21 mm. long by 



The eggs. 



about Ijmm. across and are cylindrical elongate- 

 oval (see illustration No. 45, Fig. 1). 



Apparently much has yet to be learnt about the habits, etc., 



of this insect in its natural state but in the literature above 



referred to it is recorded that in the insectary, at Pusa I 



presume the weevils fed and laid their eggs 



Some observa- . . 



tions made in the in soit interior pieces oi stem ot the palm 



haSTand life-cycle Phoenix sylvestris, Roxb. and of "Tal" (Borassus 



flabellifer, Linn.) which were supplied to them. 



The weevils gnawed a hole 3 to 5 mm. in depth in a piece of 



