WESTERN LIMIT OF OCCURRENCE. 91 
within a longer or shorter time, in these being attacked by the insect, 
and as‘it became abundant its injuries were sufficient to attract the 
attention of observant growers. 
From records in literature and those obtained by the Bureau of 
Entomology the curculio is found to occur very generally at the 
present time throughout the Mississippi Valley and the territory to 
the eastward. Records of the insect are at hand from hundreds 
of localities, covering practically all of this territory. Interest 
attaches, however, to the western and northern limits of the occur- 
rence of the curculio, and especially to the consideration of factors 
which may have operated to prevent its further spread. 
WESTERN LIMIT OF OCCURRENCE. 
During the summer of 1910 it was possible to collect some data 
on the western limit of occurrence of the curculio. In early June 
Mr. John B. Gill, of the Bureau of Entomology, was instructed to 
proceed to Sherman, Tex., and from thence in a northwesterly 
direction (along the Fort Worth & Denver City Railway) to a point 
where the curculio could not be found. Next, to proceed in a north- 
easterly direction (along the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway) 
into territory where the species was abundant. Mr. Gill proceeded 
in this zigzag manner to the west and east of the one hundredth 
meridian, as far north as North Dakota, making collections at many 
points of wild and cultivated fruit which might be infested. This 
fruit was sent to the insectary at Washington where rearings were 
made. Owing to injury by late frosts, the fruit crop in some sections 
was very light or absent, and on this account the collections were 
not so representative as was desirable. 
At Sherman, Tex., the insect was found on peaches and cultivated 
plums, though no injury was observed on apples. Four curculios 
were reared from sendings of fruit from this locality. The insect was 
also found present at Denison, Tex., an adjacent town on the Red 
River, five beetles being secured from fruit sent in. At Arlington, 
Tex., curculio larvee were found in peaches and plums, but the attack 
in no case was severe. Three curculios were secured from fruit from 
this locality. 
At Wichita Falls, Tex., the curculio was found on Japan and wild 
goose plums and peaches, and evidence of its injury to wild plums 
was noted. From several collections of fruit sent in no curculios 
were obtained. 
At Quanah, Tex., no curculio attack was found, although the wild 
plums were slightly infested with the plum gouger (Anthonomus 
scutellaris). Plums collected from wild trees along a creek were sent 
in to the insectary and several plum gougers obtained, but no adults 
of the plum curculio. 
