Insects. 1145 



that I took a few duplicates of that species, as also of Dasytes viridis and Haltica ru- 

 fipes, in the Isle of Wight last season, which I shall be happy to exchange for other 

 Coleoptera. — George Guy on ; Richmond, Surrey, Augusts, 1845. 



Tenacity of Life in Curculionidce. In ' The Zoologist' is a notice of the tenacity 

 of life of the genus Apion and other beetles in spirits, (Zool. 1015) ; I have frequently 

 noticed in killing beetles with scalding water, that if the water was not quite hot, and 

 any of the insects revived, the Apions were sure to be the first, and Ceutorhynchus ge- 

 nerally the next. — Id. 



Note on the Breeding of Trichius variabilis. When at Windsor-forest three sum- 

 mers back, I met with three of the larva? of this rare beetle, about a quarter of an inch 

 long, in the trunk of a decayed oak tree. I brought them home with me, and have at 

 last succeeded in breeding one of them. The plan I pursued was to keep the larva? 

 moist, in a tin in the cellar, and supply them with small bits of the solid parts from a 

 decayed oak in the neighbourhood. It only remained about a month in the pupa 

 state. Unfortunately, the other two died in going through the changes. — Samuel 

 Stevens ; King Street, Covent Garden, August 18, 1845. 



Does Rhynchites Betulce deposit its Eggs in rolled-up Leaves P I never actually 

 caught it in the fact, but certainly under very suspicious circumstances. On the 23rd 

 of last May, in Shambler's Copse, near Cowes, I took specimens from hazels on which 

 the leaves (containing ova deposited singly between their folds) were rolled up in the 

 neatest manner possible. First of all the third leaf from the end of the twig was firm- 

 ly wrapped round the stem ; then the middle leaf above that ; and lastly, the upper 

 one was brought round so as to form a cap : the whole was perfectly firm and com- 

 pact. I imagine it to have been the work of the above insect ; first, because I did not 

 find any leaves so rolled up, except on hazels which contained Rhynchites : secondly, 

 because I could discover no other insects (no Apoderi for instance) about or very near 

 these hazels, capable of it; and thirdly, because on the fourth leaf from the end of a 

 hazel-twig, I found three Rhynchites, a pair in copula, and another female in advance 

 of the pair ; and the three end leaves of the twig in advance of the said female hung 

 down drooping and withered, and rather discoloured and damp, as if moistened by 

 some liquor which I conceive the insect to have the power of exuding in order to cause 

 the leaves to adhere together. Now, though I did not actually see the insects engaged 

 in the operation, yet the situation in which they were found would lead to the surmise 

 that they were the authors of the appearance which I noticed ; and this suspicion re- 

 ceived further confirmation from my observing the same circumstance at Monkswood, 

 on the 14th of the following month, except that in this instance the plant was a sal- 

 low instead of a hazel. Again I found two females and one male Rhynchites together, 

 and the end leaves hung down moistened and discoloured as before, immediately in 

 advance of the insects. I know not whether Rhynchites Betulae is in the habit of in- 

 dulging in a plurality of wives, or whether one of the above females was the nursery- 

 maid preparing the cradle, under a strong impression that it would soon be required. 

 J. F. Dawson ; Ventnor, August, 1845. 





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