108 ZOOLOGY. 



the tender plants, and always in such a way as to 

 present a toothed appearance (Fig. 78). It often 

 happens that in a large field one can scarcely find a 

 pea-leaf with uninjured margin. When the plants 

 are somewhat grown the damage done by the weevils 

 is of no further importance; but if the plants, when 

 still very young, are prevented from growing rapidly 

 by reason of rough cold weather or unfavourable con- 

 ditions of soil, whUe at the same time the weevils 

 continue their attacks, the small leaves will be com- 

 pletely destroyed, and the plants wOl perish. The 

 larvse gnaw the roots of the plants infested by the 

 weevils. Bemedy : rational rotation. 



The Mouse-toothWeevils (Baris, or Baridius). Small, 

 tolerably elongated weevils with fairly long neck- 

 shield (Fig. 79). Develop in cruciferous plants. The 

 Rape Mouse-tooth Weevil {B. chloris). Shining green. 

 Leaves in spring its hiding-place in the soil; the 

 female then lays her eggs in the leaf-axils or stem of 

 rape or turnip. The larva eats out passages in the 

 stem and branches ; in July it becomes a pupa in the 

 inside of the stem ; in late summer the beetle appears, 

 and quickly creeps into the soil. Bemedy: Pulling 

 up and burning the rape and 

 turnip stubble, which harbours 

 the weevil. The Pitchy Mouse- 

 tooth Weevil (B. ficina), one- 

 sixth of an inch long, shining 

 black. Similar habits to the 

 previous species; but lives ex- 

 clusively in headed cabbage and 



liG. ?9. — Mouse-tooth Weevil ya • j 



(^Baridius ckUrria). 1, Una; cauliilower, never m rape and 

 ^r™?Jhl'^':b"mTLl^; turnip. The Cress Mouse-tooth 



2, pupa, magnified: 3, iieeHe; WeSVll (B. lepidU), black with 



drawn of the natural size above; n, -iiii i 



a. eye; ig, antannary groove blue Or greenish-DlUe Dack, OUC- 



with antenna not drawn back, eighth of an iuch loUg. LivCS 



in the stems of cauliflower and garden cress. 

 The Gall Weevils {Cewtorhynchus) are very small 



