SUBFAMILY XIII. CALANDRINJE. 559 



the latter broadly dilated at middle, narrowing to a line at each end; 

 interspaces and surface at sides coarsely punctured. Elytra slightly wider 

 than thorax; striae deep, well defined, distinctly and closely punctate; 

 third interval widest and most elevated with four or five rows of fine 

 punctures. Male with first abdominal segment very feebly concave, 

 pygidium truncate at apex. Length 10 15 mm. 



Described from Alabama, South Carolina, Kansas and Texas; 

 reported also from Michigan by Knaus. Known as the "maize 

 bill-bug," being in places very destructive to corn, in the base of 

 the stalk of which the larvse breed. The adults begin to mature 

 in August and most of them hibernate in the pupal cell in the 

 base of the corn stalk, issuing therefrom in late spring and at- 

 tacking the young corn plants as soon as they reach the surface. 

 Eggs are deposited in the base of the stalk, hatching in early 

 June, the larva boring and eating its way until ready to pupate. 

 The species breeds also in the root-stalks of the swamp or gaina 

 grass, Tripsacuin dactyloides L., which was probably its original 

 host plant.* Prior to the description by Chittenden, most of the 

 damage done by this species was attributed to 8. robustus or 8. 

 pertlnax. 



873 (8992). SPHENOPHORUS VELUTINUS Lee., 1876, 424. 



"Elongate. Brownish-black, entirely opaque and velvety in lustre. 

 Beak shorter than thorax, curved, somewhat compressed, smooth. Thorax 

 more than one-half longer than wide, oval, strongly tubulate in front, its 

 elevations very vague and ill defined, the impressions marked with shallow 

 punctures; sides more densely and deeply punctured; dorsal median line 

 narrow, slightly elevated, extending nearly to the base and apical constric- 

 tion. Elytra not longer than thorax, narrowed behind from near the base; 

 striae very fine, marked with a few distant small punctures, the two 

 outer ones with more numerous larger punctures; intervals flat, 

 obsoletely punctulate; pygidium with a few large, deep punctures; under 

 surface sparsely punctured; front and middle tars.i with the third joint 

 broadly dilated, spongy each side beneath; third joint of hind tarsi 

 slightly dilated, not wider than long. Length 11 mm." (LeConte.) 



Described from one specimen from Florida; another in the 

 Horn collection from Louisiana. A distinct and unique species, 

 easily known by its velvet-like coat. 



874 (- -). SPHENOPHORUS SOLTAUII Chitt, 1906-a, 178. 



Body subfusiform, half as wide as long. Black, subopaque, the elevated 

 parts feebly shining, without trace of alutaceous coating. Beak three-fifths 

 as long as thorax, feebly curved, distinctly compressed. Thorax longer than 

 wide, disc coarsely, densely, unevenly punctured, with only the median vitta 

 present, in the form of a narrow, smooth unelevated space. Elytral 



* Kelly. "The Maize Bill-bug," Bull. 95, Pt. II, U. S. Bur. Ent. 



