52 
Ntesult five days later; the worms were alive and as active as they 
ever were. Corn slightly eaten, but none showing any indication of 
growing, while kernels from same ear planted in unsalted soil were 
sprouted. The corn used in all experiments was from the same ear. 
Drasterius elegans Fab. 
The larva of this species has been mentioned in my previous reports 
as destroying other insects, and themselves injuring young corn. In 
the present instance they were found exceedingly abundant, on Novem- 
ber 15, near New Castle, Ind., where they were evidently working seri, 
ous injury to a field of young wheat, sown in growing corn about Sep- 
tember 5. This field had produced three consecutive crops of wheat- 
then the present crop of corn, among which the young wheat was grow- 
ing. It was true the wheat was seriously infested by Hessian fly, and 
therefore the question may arise as to whether the worms were not de- 
stroying these; but the damage to the field was by far too great to 
have been done by the fly alone, and many of the plants had been eaten 
off below the ground. 
With this new revelation regarding their food habits, it seems prob- 
able that a part of the wire-worm injuries to wheat sown among corn 
may be due to this species, instead of the preceding. 
THE TWELVE-SPOTTED DIABROTICA. 
(Diabrotica 12-punctata.) 
The adults of this species have been observed in greater abundance 
than ever before. Gardens and fields have been literally overrun with 
them. The sexes were observed pairing as early as the 17th of April, 
thereby promising larvee sufficiently early to attack young corn, even 
though pianted at the usual time. The list of food plants has this sea- 
son been observed to include the following, not previously reported : 
Wheat, cabbage, cauliflower, and beans; an adult was also observed 
feeding on volunteer oats Deceinber 14. 
THE SWAMP SPHENOPHORUS. 
(Sphenophorus ochreus Lec. ) 
Few insects afford a better illustration of the fact that a comparatively 
harmless species may, by force of circumstances, suddenly become ex- 
tremely injurious. Known to the entomologist since 1858, and by no 
means a rare insect, its habits unstudied because of its secluded haunts 
and valueless food plant, the species appears to have been overtaken by 
this progressive decade in agriculture. 
The swamp composing the field which formed the basis of the study 
of this insect was brokén up some thirty years ago and two crops of 
corn raised on it without damage from insect attack, after which, by 
reason of being too wet, it was allowed to revert back to its original 
state. Fifteen years ago a second attempt was made to bring it into 
cultivation, and a single crop of corn raised from a portion of it, this 
time the insects being noticed, but doing no material injury. The land 
