THE MAIZE BILLBUG. 15 
work in the root-stalks of corn. He had observed that the eggs 
were deposited in the stalks, and that these serve for the winter 
quarters of the adults; that the beetles began work when the corn 
was about 4 or 5 inches high by inserting their beaks in the young 
stalks just above ground. By taking hold of the center of the corn 
and pulling it it came out, as it was nearly severed as from cutworm 
attack. Stalks that had been preyed upon by the billbug did not 
yield any amount of seed. No injury was observed to crops other 
than corn. Injury was only in lowlands, and the principal damage 
was accomplished before the woody outer shell of the stalk was 
formed. The beetles were active chiefly after dark, when they trav- 
eled, though slowly, from one place to another. They burrowed in 
the ground during the day. They were described as “cleaning up 
everything as they go, rendering the crop entirely worthless.” Sep- 
tember 17 another sending of larve, pupwe, and imagos were re- 
ceived from the same source. Out of 100 stalks examined by our 
correspondent only 10 were free from the ravages of this billbug. 
At this date of writing the beetles were deserting the corn. 
In 1903 a report was received of injury by what was with little 
doubt this species at Griffin, Ga., although no specimens were re- 
ceived, as in all preceding instances cited. 
DISTRIBUTION. 
This insect has been reported, according to Chittenden? from 
Augusta, Kans. (E. L. Williams) ; Riley County, Kans. (P. J. Par- 
rott); Florence, Kans.; Dadeville, Ala. (S. M. Robertson); We- 
{tumpka, Ala. (F. S. Earle); Columbia, S. C. (L. O. Howard); 
Ballentine, S. C. (J. Duncan); Texas (Ulke, 1 ex.); Michigan 
(Knaus). It has also been reported from Texas (T. D! Urbahns). 
and the writer found it at several points in Oklah~’\ ‘and Kansas. 
Owing to the fact that representatives of the spec: iA€e Been taken 
in such widely separated localities, it is very probable that it occurs 
over the entire territory between South Carolina and Texas and 
northward to Kansas and Missouri. 
FOOD PLANTS. 
The adults attack young corn plants and probably some of the 
coarser grasses. Dr. Howard, and later the writer, found both 
adults and larve feeding on young corn. Mr. Urbahns found 
adults at base of swamp grass (Tripsacum dactyloides) in consider- 
able numbers, and probably larvee and pupe of the species in this 
same grass. (fig. 8). Mr. Urbahns found several Sphenophorus larvee 

*Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., vol 7, No. 1, pp. 59-61, 1905. 
