88 CLOVfiR. 



leafage of the white Dutch Clover, by the Apion flavipes, the " Yellow- 

 legged," or " Dutch Clover Weevil." The above figures are of two 

 species of Clover-infesting " Pear-shaped Weevils " so nearly resem- 

 bling the A.jiavipes that they serve to show the minute life size, and 

 also the general characteristics when magnified, especially the very 

 long snout or proboscis, giving somewhat of a " pear-shaped " appear- 

 ance to the Weevils, from which they take their common name. In 

 each of these species the general colour of the Weevils is black, but the 

 A. flavipes, or Yellow-legged Weevil, differs in being somewhat more 

 slender in form ; in the antennae (or horns) being set somewhat nearer 

 the base of the snout ; and in the colour of the legs, which are bright 

 ochreous, with black feet and tips of shanks. The species is very 

 common, and was found by Curtis " in profusion in the month of May 

 on the Dutch Clover." 



On the 10th of August I received a packet of specimens of the 

 injured Clover leaves from Mr. Ceo. John Paine, of Eisby, Bury St. 

 Edmunds, Suffolk, with the following remarks: — "I have just har- 

 vested 18 acres of white Clover seed, and on going over the field last 

 Friday I was much struck by the way it was breaking out from the 

 roots, and the probability of its producing feed ; but on going to the 

 field this morning, I find the whole of the young leaves in the state of 

 those I enclose for your inspection. As I have never had a similar 

 experience before, and the white Clover growing in an adjoining field, 

 and that growing in a pasture close by not being so affected, I should 

 be very glad if you would tell me what is the cause of all this 

 mischief."— (G. J. P.) 



The specimens sent showed absolute destruction of the young 

 leafage. These leaves were eaten away until little remained but the 

 veins, forming a fine net-work, with here and there a little of the green 

 tissue still remaining on one side of the mid-rib, or near the base of 

 the leaflet. From the nature of the injuries it was presumable that 

 these were caused by the " Pear-shaped " Clover Weevils, and on the 

 following day the specimens sent me from the Clover stack from the 

 infested field showed that the species at work was the Apiun Jiavipes. 



On the 11th of August, Mr. Geo. J. Paine wrote again as follows : 

 — " Since writing you yesterday respecting my white Clover, I have 

 discovered that the stack of seed is completely covered on the outside 

 with a little black insect, a sample of which I am sending you by this 

 post. These insects (which I think are a species of beetle) are no 

 doubt the cause of the mischief, but I have never had the experience 

 before." 



The injury caused to the seed crops by various kinds of Apions is 

 that most commonly observed. In 1886 notes were sent me of great 

 harm being done to seeding Clover at various locnlities in Somerset- 



