DAMAGE CAUSED BY ANIMALS. 151 



sickly growth and weakly development, and, finally, waiting with 

 the re-wooding of areas recently cleared of timber until the 

 stumps and roots left in the ground have become too dry to serve 

 as congenial breeding-places, are the best protective .and remedial 

 measures to be adopted against the above-named species of 

 noxious root-boring insects, which too often fail to receive the 

 attention they really demand. 



B. WEEVILS, EOSTRAL OR PROBOSCID BEETLES (Curculionidse). 

 75. The large brown Eostral Beetle or Pine Weevil, Eyldbius Abietis. 1 



(FwfePlatel. fig. 10.) 



This beetle (weevil), from 0'32 to 0'52 inches in length, and 

 016 to 0*24 inches in breadth, with a moderately long and thick 

 rostrum or proboscis, is dark brown to deep red in colour. 

 Yellow marks occur between the eyes, on the sides of the thorax 

 and abdomen, and on the elytra ; these are formed by clusters of 

 diminutive yellow hairy scales, which look like transverse bands 

 on the outer wings, and are very prominent on the beetle when it 

 issues from the chrysalis, but which gradually get more or less 

 obliterated by rubbing later on. 



Until quite recently, the opinions held by the most eminent 

 authorities concerning the life-history of this most important, 

 most injurious, and prolific devastator of young timber crops, 

 which is annually collected and destroyed in millions in the coni- 

 ferous forests of Germany, were, strange to say, characterised by 

 great indefiniteness and want of unanimity. After observations 

 extending over many years, Altum asserted that one generation 

 took two years for its complete development, whilst Eichhoff 

 denied this altogether, and maintained that a double generation 

 during the year was much more probable. These diametrically 

 opposed opinions, and the whole uncertainty about the matter, 

 arose from the fact that recently-developed beetles, as well as 

 beetles that had (to judge from the faint markings on their elytra) 

 been swarming for some considerable time, and also larvae in every 

 stage of development, might all be found at one and the same 

 time. But a series of observations made by Yon Oppen, in a very 

 careful manner, with beetles confined under circumstances ap- 



