CLASS I. INSECTA: ORDER 1. COLEOPTERA. 



553 



state attached to or inclosed within the substance upon which they have been feeding in the 

 larva state. 



Analogous American species are the Balaidnus rectus, which attacks and destroys the nut of 

 the chinquapin or dwarf-chestnut; the Plum- Weevil, Hhyncfueiius nenuphar, v/hich deposits its 

 eggs in many fruits, as plums, cherries, apples, quinces, <fec., and is suspected of inserting its eggs 

 in the tender limbs of cherries and plums, thus causing the black excrescences which often dis- 

 figure them. 



The PALM-^YEEVIL — Curculw palmorum of Linnaeus — found in South America, is a very 

 large species, nearly two inches long ; it is black, and lives on the sago-palra. 



Most of the Rhynchophora are more or less covered with minute scales, somewhat resembling 



those with which the wings of the Lejndojitera 

 are clothed, and these, in many cases, exhibit a 

 splendor of color scarcely, if at all, inferior to that 

 of the most gorgeous of butterflies. Even among 

 the small species several of great beauty are to be 

 met with, and few insects can boast of greater 

 magnificence than the well-known Diamond-Bee- 

 tle of Brazil, Curculio imperialis. 



The insects just referred to all possess genicu- 

 lated antennte, but the habits of those with straight 

 antennaj differ but little from those of their allies. 

 One of the best known is the Bruchiis pisi, the 

 larva of which is very common in the seeds of the 

 L , ^ pea, and to such an extent does this insect abound 

 y in some localities that it has sometimes occasioned 

 the entire destruction of the pea-crops. It is com- 

 mon both in Europe and America, being here 

 called the Pea-bug. Another species, Rhynchite 

 Bacchus, attacks the buds and leaves of the vine, 

 to which it often does immense injury in the wine countries of Europe. 



THE DIAMOND-BEETLE. 



THE XYLOPHAGA. 



A considerable number of the true Rhynchophora burrow in their larva state into the stems 

 of trees, often forming holes of considerable diameter in the solid wood. They are, however, 



completely outdone in this re- 

 spect by the insects of a subtribe 

 which have received the name 

 of Xijlopharja, or Wood-Eaters, 

 from their constant habit, both in 

 the larva and perfect states, of bor- 

 intr into the solid wood of trees. 

 In their general structure they re- 

 semble the Rhynchophora, but 

 their heads are broad and Ihit, not 

 distinctly rostrated, and the an- 

 tenna) are inserted beneath the 

 lateral margins of the head. Al- 

 though they are of small size, the 

 damage which they occasion in for- 

 ests is often enormous. The Sco- 

 lytus destructor, a common British species, destroys great numbers of elm-trees, and the Scolytus 

 pyri, or Pear-blight Beetle, of this country, does great damage to pear-trees, the larva enter- 

 ing and piercing the limbs at the roots of the buds. The ravages of some other species are 

 Vol. II.— 70 



THE TYPOGRAPHIC BEETLE. 



