W. B. DWIGHT. Sl-i.">| i 



in the first sample contain over twenty. As ;i genera] 

 rule, each spot, which is simply the end of a burrow, 

 showing through the thin skin of the bean, marks the 

 presence of an insect, whileeach hole indicates the form- 

 er presence of an insect which has escaped. But occa- 

 sionally when the creature lies lengthwise drectly under 

 the bean-skin, two spots mark the positions of its extrem- 

 ities ; generally, however, in such a case, a dark line 

 connects these spots. Out of one bean, picked up at ran- 

 dom, I took fifteen of these insects alive. At the present 

 'date, many, perhaps one-third of the whole number, have 

 escaped in their mature form. 



This terrible scourge I recognize as the bean-weevil, 

 known at present among entomologists as Bruchus fabce, 

 (erroneously spelled fabi, in Packard's "Guide to the 

 Study of Insects," p. 689, index — ,) though it has re- 

 ceived other names. It was reported and fully described 

 by Prof. Packard in the Massachusetts State Agricultu- 

 ral Report for 1870. In 1872, Prof. Riley mentioned it in 

 his official report on injurious insects in Missouri, it hav- 

 ing developed somewhat in that State, and in Illinois ; he 

 also alluded to its having been known ten years previ- 

 ously in Rhode Island. Prof. Packard gives also addi- 

 tional facts in regard to it in the American Naturalist, 

 Vol. 7, p. 537. It was at first supposed to be an impor- 

 tation from Europe, and identical with the European 

 bean-weevil, the granarius, but it is now recognized as 

 an indigenous species of North America, It has also 

 been known under the manuscript name Varicornis, as- 

 signed to it by Prof. Leconte. 



At various times it has appeared in different pa its of 

 the United States, and especially in New York State. 

 By its work of sudden and complete destructiveness to 

 the crops, it has always caused a well-founded alarm, but 

 the prompt means used for its extermination seem to 

 have prevented its genera] spread. It is very closely rela- 

 ted to the common pea-weevil, Bruchus pisi : and some- 

 what less closely to the well-known plum-curculis. 



The Bruchidae and the Curculionidse are the two nu^r 

 important families of the group of snout-bearing beetles 

 (Khynchophoridse). They may be distinguished from 

 each other bv the following general character : 



