£)Sop 
LECTURE IX. 7 
Beetle, a native of Brazil, and remarkable for the 
extreme j brilliancy of its appearance, which is 
owing to^numerous rows of scaly^jspots of a golden 
green cast, disposed on a jet-black ground, and 
accompanied by a variable or iridescent lustre. 
The magnified figure (here represented) will give 
a clearer idea of its appearance than any verbal 
description. It is an insect which varies consid^^^i 
ably in size, but is usually something more than ^ 
an inch in length. ‘ ■ iol* 
To the genus Curculio also belongs the curious 
animal the Nut Weevil, a small brown insect, 
with an extremely long and slender snout. ^ This 
insect is the parent of the maggot in the hazel- 
nut, which is known to every body. About thn 
beginning of August, the female Curculio wan- 
ders about the hazel-trees, while the nuts are 
in a very tender state, the rind of which slie 
perforates with her snout, and deposits an egg. , 
in the puncture; and thus continues, to do, till 
.she has deposited her whole stock. The 
not apparently injured by this slight perforation, 
continues to grow, and gradually ripens its kernel, . 
When the egg is hatched, tlie maggot, finding its 
food ready-prepared, begins to feast on the kerneh 
