PROC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. 24, NO. 5, MAY, 1922 1 21 



first that the bean plants were infested by one or more species of 

 Apion. These little beetles were seen mostly upon the leaves, 

 in which they ate small holes, thus inflicting some damage upon 

 the foliage. Sometimes they were seen puncturing the terminal 

 or lateral buds of the plants, perhaps only for feeding purposes, 

 but at no time were they observed ovipositing, though, from 

 future developments, it seems that eggs must have been laid in 

 the pods. 



These weevils occurred on the bean plants all around the city 

 of Mexico, at San Angel, Mixcoac, Atzcapotzalco and Tacuba, 

 and were very abundant in the grounds of the Agricultural 

 College at the last named place. They occurred on beans in the 

 corn and on those planted in the open, were active during the 

 middle of the day and took flight readily if disturbed, or, as an 

 alternative habit, would drop to the ground and run off. \o 

 other insects were seen to attack them. Specimens could be 

 caught by hand or with a small net and many were secured for 

 study and determination. Examples were submitted to Mr. 

 H. C. Fall, specialist on the genus, who identified one species 

 as A. griseum Smith, the other three species are apparently 

 unknown in this country. A. griseum is common to the I'nited 

 States and Mexico, being recorded by Fall as occurring from 

 New York to Florida and westward to Colorado and Arizona. 



After receiving, through Mr. Graf, a copy of Dr. Chittenden's 

 paper upon this genus, in which the bean-feeding habit of A. 

 griseum is recorded, 1 some further notes were made, although 

 time did not permit of a thorough study. These notes are 

 based almost entirely upon observations carried on in the 

 grounds of the Agricultural College, since this place is easily 

 accessible and, through the courtesy of the administration, \\as 

 thrown open to me. 



In these bean plots, it was noticed that a great many of the 

 pods which were just beyond the "snap" stage and in which 

 the seeds were well filled out, showed yellowish or brownish 

 discolorations along the sides, often several blotches to the pod. 

 A rot frequently set in, apparently starting from these blotches, 

 so that the tissues broke down in the wet atmosphere, especially 

 if in contact with the soil. This gave the product a very dis- 

 gusting appearance and would serve at once to diagnose the 

 worst cases of infestation. 



When one of these pods was opened, it would show rhc seed 

 more or less badly eroded by the attacking larva. The grub 

 sometimes burrowed well within the seed while the latter was 

 still soft, but sometimes fed largely from the surface. The fat 

 larva appeared to be of great size in comparison with irs parent, 



^hittenden, F. H. Bui. 64, Bur. Ent., LJ. S. Dept. Agr., pp. 29, 30, Jan. 

 14, 1908. 



