iis Natural History^ Habits^ ^e. 285 



June, upon which nearly every plum would be punctured, 

 and consequently all would be lost to the cultivator. 



The objection, in the community, against cultivating this 

 fruit, is upon the complaint, or fact, that the plums will not 

 hang on until ripe ; and nurserymen are often questioned, 

 if they know of any kinds that will not drop before they 

 become matured. 



As great a pest as this little insect is to the fruit-grower, 

 I am not willing that he should be loaded with more sins 

 than he deserves. He has been charged with being the 

 cause of the fungus-excrescences on the plum tree, of which 

 he will not plead guilty. True, his larva, and also those 

 of some other insects, it is said, are found in this fungus, 

 and this is the reason why this disease has been attributed 

 to him. My reasons for saying he is not the cause of this 

 disease, may be offered in another place. 



It is remarkable how unconfined or unlocated the Curcu- 

 lio appears to be. I formerly believed that he was limited 

 nearly to the ground, under and near the tree where he 

 Avas produced, and, that, if the earth under it was paved, or 

 so fixed as to prevent the larvse from descending into it, that, 

 that tree would be secure the following season, at least. 

 But more extensive observation has taught me otherwise. 

 This fact I consider a very important point in this insect's 

 character. In 1838, a new apple tree came into bearing, hav- 

 ing three apples upon it, situated 20 rods distant from any 

 frui t-bearing tree, and I hoped to test the quality of the apples 

 thereby ; but I was disappointed. In the first of July, I 

 noticed the spoiler's mark upon these apples, and after a 

 while they dropped off. I have searched after, and found 

 him, upon an apple tree in a pasture, which stood alone 

 and at a distance from any other fruit tree. A plum tree, 

 trained to the east end of iTiy house, bore for the first time 

 in the year 1841. I watched the fruit, and, about the usual 

 time, found his mark upon some of the plums, and secured 

 them. From these observations, I am led to the supposi- 

 tion, at least, that he may not be dependent altogether 

 upon the before mentioned fruits for the propagation of his 

 race ; but when fruits are wanting, he finds other recepta- 

 cles for his eggs. But this is a conjecture simply. No 

 doubt he is capable of flying to a considerable distance. 



Dr. Harris stated to me, that he was not certain that the 

 plum weevil does feed in the beetle form, though he rather 



