PINE WEEVIL. 
91 
plantations. This elicited the very interesting information that when¬ 
ever the plantations have been thinned, or houghs cut off, they have 
been allowed to lie on the ground , with the idea of not robbing the soil. This 
reprehensible practice had, however, been discontinued two years ago. 
“ You have often pointed out in your various Eeports that the 
burning of all such dead wood, while not robbing the land, but rather 
more quickly, through the scattered ashes, enriching it, would, on the 
other hand, have deprived the beetles of comfortable lodgings and 
ample board in which to thrive and multiply, and become the pests 
they have proved. The setting of traps has since been efficacious, and 
the rubbing of the trees with a wash of red-lead and paraffin is said to 
have had good results. 
“ No better instance could be given than the history of this 
Hylobius-attack and its attendant losses, and their subsequent arrest 
and amelioration, of the importance of the knowledge of the habits of 
any injurious insect, and the clue which such knowledge alone gives to 
useful and sound methods of prevention.”*—A. H. 
On May 15tli a large number of beetles were forwarded to me by 
Mr. A. L. Y. Morley from Great Brington, Northampton, with the 
observation that Lord Spencer’s forester had just brought them as speci¬ 
mens of insects which were doing considerable damage to young Larch, 
Scotch Fir, and Corsican Pine, in plantations near to Northampton. 
On examination I found the Pine Weevil, Hylobius abietis, was 
present, but also there were a quantity of little brownish short-nosed 
weevils with no wings, and marked with a little black stripe running 
from the base (half-way along the suture) of the wing-cases. 
These turned out to be the Strophosomus coryli, F., a small weevil 
only about one-fifth of an inch long, which is noted by various German 
writers as having attacked some kinds of Conifers, as well as the Hazel 
(Corylus , from which it takes its special name), and many other kinds 
of deciduous trees. I have never met with the attack before, but as it 
may need future notice, I add at foot a translation of its life-history 
given by Dr. E. L. Taschenberg. f 
* Those who wish to study the history of the Pine Weevil, with means of 
prevention and remedy, will find it detailed in ‘ Praktische Insekten Kunde ’ of 
Dr. E. L. Taschenberg, Pt. II., pp. 129—136; and also in my own ‘ Manual of 
Injurious Insects,’ pp. 233—240, in which much information is given, expressly 
contributed by Scottish foresters. 
f “ This beetle appears in many years in great numbers, not only on ‘ Hazels,’ 
as might be inferred from its scientific name, but also on Birch, Oak, Beech, Scotch 
Fir, and Pine, where from May until the middle of June they feed on the buds and 
leaves, and the bark of the young shoots, and in various localities have destroyed 
young trees of the above-mentioned kinds. In the middle of June pairing takes 
place on the plants. The larvae live in the earth, any injury caused by them is, 
however, still unknown.”—‘ Praktische Insekten Kunde,’ by Dr. E. L. Taschenberg, 
Pt. II., p. 103. 
