322 
TRANSFORMATIONS OF INSECTS. 
it is stored, and the young grubs burrow into the wheat as soon 
as they are hatched, each individual occupying a single grain : they 
eat the whole of it, and only leave the husks. They then undergo 
their metamorphosis, and at the appointed time come out perfect 
beetles, to lay their eggs for a second brood. Unfortunately, the 
mischief is generally unperceived until it is too late to remedy it ; 
but kiln-drying the grain appears to be the only effective means 
of destroying these injurious insects. The rice and Indian corn 
are destroyed by the Rice Weevil, in a similar manner, in the 
countries where these grains are cultivated. 
When naturalists dilate upon the most beautiful of the Co- 
leoptera , and upon those which possess the most marvellous 
richness of colours, and extremely polished and shining bodies, 
C 'aland r a oryzce. Calandra granaria. 
The figures of these weevils are magnified in the illustration, but the natural size of the 
insects is shown above. 
they refer especially to the Buprestidce ; it is an immense family, 
containing no less than forty-two genera and i,5co species. (Dr. 
Baird). But those that are found in France and in England have 
very plain decorations, and are very different in their external 
appearance to their magnificent brethren in the tropics. They 
are sometimes called Gold-beaters, but doubtless have many other 
familiar names. 
The brilliant species are not very elegantly shaped ; their 
bodies are long, the prothorax broad, and their legs are short ; 
and they have a character which distinguishes them at once 
amongst the beetles, for their wings are not longer than the 
elytra. 
The illustration shows one of the Buprestidce , with its wings 
expanded, and it will be observed that they only equal in length 
