568 



FAMILY III. CURCULIONIDJE. 



dilated at middle, its apical portion very narrow; lateral vittas broad at 

 base and with a short oblique branch, their front portion often 



replaced by coarse punctures. Elytra 

 oval, their surface uneven, sides grad- 

 ually narrowed from humeri to apex; 

 striae fine, coarsely and distantly punc- 

 tate; intervals flat, their punctures hid- 

 den, the third sometimes feebly elevated 

 at base. Humeral umbone and sub- 

 apical callus somewhat prominent, often 

 shining. Under surface coarsely and 

 sparsely punctate. Length 8 12 mm. 

 (Fig. 12G.) 



Lake, Putnam, Blackford, Vigo, 

 Perry and Posey counties, Ind., 

 scarce; probably throughout the 

 state; May 1 July 14. James- 

 burg, N. J. ; July. Orniond and 

 Sarasota, Fla. ; March 5 April 6. 

 Ranges from Maine to Wisconsin 

 4. (After Forbes.) and Kansas, south and southwest 

 Texas and Arizona. Known especially in the 



Fig. 126. X 



to Florida, 



Southern States as the "curlew bug," and in certain localities 

 doing much injury to corn and rice. The natural host plants are 

 chufa or yellow-nut grass, Cyperus esculcntus L. ; witch-grass or 

 tumble weed, Panicnm capiUare L. and Frank's sedge, Carex 

 frankii Kunth. The two best measures of prevention of damage 

 by the insect are extermination of these natural food plants from 

 the fields, and rotation of crops. (Webster, 1912.) Most eco- 

 nomic literature pertaining to S. cariosus Oliv. is to be referred 

 to this species. $. sculjitilis Horn (nee Uhler) is a synonym. 



885-a ( ). SPHENOPHONUS CALLOSUS SUBL^EVIS Chitt., 1906-a, 176. 



Similar in form to callosus. Outer artificial coating less dense, some- 

 times nearly wanting. Vittaa of thorax less elevated, very coarsely and 

 sparsely punctate throughout their extent. Sculpture of elytra more dis- 

 tinct, the strial punctures very large, those of the intervals coarser, con- 

 fused on the broader third and fifth intervals. Subapical tibial spurs 

 better developed, those of the front pair being half as long and nearly as 

 thick as the apical ones. Length 7.5 10 mm. 



Lake and Vigo counties, Ind., scarce ; May 20 July 19. White- 

 hall, Mich, July 27. Described from Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin 

 and Missouri. Except in the minor characters above set forth, 

 this cannot be distinguished from callosus and we regard it only 

 as a variety of that species. 



