147 



There is much land in the State that is at present put to 

 little use but which is admirably adapted to the production of 

 various kinds of nuts. As the demand of the market for this 

 commodity increases there is no good reason, apparently, why 

 West Virginia should not undertake to furnish its full share 

 toward supplying the wants of this market. 



WHERE AND How THE INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED. 



Most of the observations herein recorded on the habits of 

 these insects were made at French Creek, W. Va., where many of 

 the important host of the different species abound. In the study 

 of life histories the insects were kept under observation in 

 their natural environment and in breeding jars in the labora- 

 tory. The most accurate knowledge of the insects was obtained 

 by observing them in the ground under nut-bearing trees, where 

 they undergo a part of their development, and by ascending into 

 the branches of trees to observe their behavior there 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 



The writer wishes to acknowledge his indebtedness to Dr. 

 F. H. Chittenden, of the Bureau of Entomology, United States 

 Department of Agriculture, for his courtesy in naming difficult 

 specimens and for offering valuable suggestions regarding meth- 

 ods of studying the group. Thanks are also due Mr. Nathaniel 

 Bacon, Talcott, W. Va., who has plantations of chinquapin and 

 hazel and who took great pains to furnish data and specimens of 

 the weevils that attack the nuts of these plants. 



NATIVE NUT-BEARING TREES AND SHRUBS OP WEST VIRGINIA. 



According to Millspaugh's "Flora of West Virginia" and 

 to the unpublished notes of A. B. Brooks, Forester for the West 

 Virginia State Geological Survey, the following native, nut-pro- 

 ducing trees and shrubs are found within the State. Further 

 study of our species may result in a few additions to this list. 



