BEETLES. 



165 



as Fire-Flies. They are common in meadows in sum- 

 mer. Some of the tropical kinds emit such a brilliant 

 phosphorescence — as their light is called — that a few 

 of them placed in a glass vessel give light enough for 

 a person to read by. 



CURCULIOS, OR WEEVILS. 



These beetles are hard, generally rather small, some 

 being minute, and in most cases they have a long, 

 slender snout. In some, however, the fore part of the 

 head is broad. They feign death when disturbed, and, 



Fig. 304.— Plum 

 Weevil. 



Fig. 305.— Rice 



Weevil. 



Fig. 306.— Pea 

 Weevil. 



Fig. 307. — White-Pine Weevil. Fig. 308. — Long-snouted Nut Weevil. 



if upon a tree, fall to the ground and remain motion- 

 less till all is quiet. The Pea Weevil lays its eggs on 

 the pea blossoms, and the grub enters the pea through 

 the green pod, and remains there till the next spring, 

 when it comes out as a perfect beetle or weevil. The 

 Baltimore Oriole splits open the pods for the sake of 

 obtaining the grubs contained in the peas. The White- 



