EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 



201 



thorax is reddish-brown and the head black, the middle part of each 

 wing-cover being almost black. The legs are brownish-yellow. 



This insect belongs to a family known as ground-beetles most of 

 which are predatory in their habits, feeding on other insects and help- 

 ing materially to keep our foes in bounds. The food of this species 

 ordinarily consists of other insects, mites, etc., but for some reason, 

 possibly because of the temporary scarcity of its customary food, it 

 departed from its every-day habits in the manner described. Several 

 other species of ground-beetles have been sent in with the guilty ones, 

 but although they may have helped to eat the corn, there seems to have 

 been no more serious charge yet proven against them other than that of 

 being in very bad company. 



REMEDIES. 



Corn soaked before planting, and rolled in poison and dry-slaked lime 

 or paris-green and plaster, should be immune to attacks by such pests. 



(CUvinia impressifrons.) 



This little ground-beetle, 

 about one-fourth of an inch 

 long, was found near Tren- 

 ton, Mich., feeding on ker- 

 nels of corn just after they 

 were planted. Like the 

 Agonoderus, this little crea- 

 ture belongs to the family 

 of ground-beetles, and ordi- 

 narily feeds on living prey. 

 However, in this case, it 

 was doing serious injury, 

 being present in a large 

 proportion of the hills. It 

 has been detected once be- 

 fore in like mischief, by 

 Professor F. M. Webster in 

 Indiana. At that time the 

 trouble occurred about 

 June 11th. The case near 

 Trenton occurred about 

 June 5th. The injury is de- 

 scribed by Mr. John Gault, 

 from whom the specimens 



were received. He says : "The corn is badly eaten and I took one of the 

 beetles out of the small hole at the germ of one kernel. At the rate 

 he was eating his way in, I am sure it would not take many days to 

 destroy the entire germ." In company with the CUvinia, were two other 

 species of ground-beetles, which, if not actually found to be partaking 

 at least were open to suspicion. The trouble was found in field-corn but 

 there is no reason to believe that sweet-corn would have escaped. 

 26 



Fig. 51. — CUvinia impressifrous, enlarged. Original. 



