THE CURCULIONIANS. 
69 
is met with in the burrow formed by the larva. It is of 
a yellowish-white color; the head is bent under the thorax, 
and the snout rests on the breast between the folded legs 
and win 0 'S ; the back is furnished with transverse rows of 
little thorns or sharp teeth, and there are two larger thorns 
at the extremity of the body. These minute thorns probably 
enable the pupa to move towards the mouth of its burrow 
when it is about to be transformed, and may serve also to 
keep its body steady during its exertions in casting off its 
pupa skin. These insects are most abundant in trees that 
have been cut down for timber or fuel, which are generally 
attacked during the first summer after they are felled ; it 
has also been ascertained that living trees do not always 
escape, but those that are in full vigor are rarely perforated 
by grubs of this kind. The credit of discovering the habits 
and transformations of the Northern Brenthus is due to the 
Rev. L. W. Leonard, of Dublin, New Hampshire, who has 
favored me with specimens in all their forms. This insect 
is now known to inhabit nearly all the States in the Union. 
I am inclined to think that the Brenthians ought to be placed 
at the end of the weevil tribe; but I have not ventured to 
alter the arrangement generally adopted. 
The rest of the weevils are short and thick beetles, differ¬ 
ing from all the preceding in their antennae, which are bent 
or elbowed near the middle, the first joint being much longer 
than the rest. Their feelers are not perceptible. They be¬ 
long to the family Curculionid^, so called from the princi¬ 
pal genus, Curcidio^ a name given by the Romans to the corn- 
weevil. The Curculionians vary in the form, length, and 
direction of their snouts. Those belonging to the old genus 
Curculio have short and thick snouts, at the extremity of 
which, and near to the sides of the mouth, the antennae are 
implanted; those to which the name of Rhynchcenus was for¬ 
merly applied have longer and more slender snouts, usually 
bearing the antennae on or just behind the middle ; and the 
third great genus, called Calandra^ contains long-snouted 
