Rhynchophorus or Calandra palmararu are referring 

 ffifieus, and not to the American weevil. 



Attention to this point is necessary, particularly in 

 peril idiciils devoted to tropical agriculture, in which the n 

 stantly made. 



It is desirable to examine into the habits of both 

 order to solve the problems which they present, but 

 in the comparison and in reconciling any discrepancies which they may 

 present. At the same time the writer cannot point to any well-marked 

 difference in their habits. 



The information on the Asiatic Palm Weevil consists of letters to 

 Tln> Tropical Agriculturist (21). for the most part reproduced in 

 All about the Coeo-Xut Palm (22). and of short accounts in other 

 agricultural works (21, &c.) ; also of reports made to the Government of 

 the Strait^ Settlement, who proposed an ordinance similar to that of 

 the Government of liritish Honduras. The best of these is a valuable 

 one by Mr. H. N. Ridley, F.L.S., Director of Gardens and Forests, 

 Singapore (30). There are also various letters in newspapers of that 

 colony (27). 



III. — Habits and Life History i 



The Palm Weevil is one of the largest, 

 important and extensive group of beetles, the Weevils, of which 

 characteristic feature is the prolongation of the head forward: 



ich the most 



form a snout or rostrum, sometimes of great length, into the sides of 



which the horns or antenna are inserted. 



The snout, which is always 



distinguishable in the 





its extreme tip the mouth, 



verv -mall but neverth 







The mouth is used fo 



feeding, and by the fe 



miles in drilling holes, which 



operation is rendered possible by its position 



it the end of the snout, or in 







hi eh t'm- eggs are then laid. 



There ha< been a good 





ling about the snout of the 



Indian Palm Weevil, a 











This is not the case. The 





Is, which are, as a rule, long-lived insects in the 



adult Mate, can and doe 



feed, and the observe 



, mindful of the elephant, has 







d. at the base of the snout, 



which lie i,a- taken to 



e merely a horn wit! 



penetrating power limited 





the beetle can drive 



it in. The insect can pierce 



•far harder tissues by gt 



awing than it could 



wor do by mere pushing. 



hwiv'!^ ! T7*, {I i,; 



rd convex body of o\ 



il or cylindrical shape, rigid 



."rie'~ tin- 



'es of transformations after 



