THE BLACKTHORN. 



251 



in length, furnished with a long proboscis and hard 

 wing cases, which are furrowed and of a metallic 

 copper colour. It is called in Germany PJlaumen- 



hoJirer^ or Plum-horer, because it selects the plum 

 for the reception of its eggs, and for the nourish- 

 ment of the little larvae proceeding from them. 

 When the plums have attained the size of almonds, 

 the weevil selects one in w^hich to deposit an egg. 

 As the larva when hatched feeds on the fruit, and 

 as it can only be transformed into a beetle when 

 buried in the ground, the parent-beetle is in- 

 structed to meet this difhculty, which she does 

 most effectually. Having selected the plum 

 which is to afford sustenance to one of her future 

 progeny, she commences operations by sawing 

 half-way through the stem of the fruit ; and then, 

 as if wearied with the sameness of her work, 

 1 retires to the plum, and having prepared a nest 

 I by raising the skin and making a cavity under- 

 neath, deposits an egg at the entrance. She then 

 turns down the skin, closing the orifice so effec- 

 tually that not a drop of water can reach the 



Curculio Rhyncites. 

 The line underneatli denotes the natural size. 



