48 INSECTS INJURIOUS IN 1902. 
gard of Merriam Park a complaint that a Beetle was at work at 
the roots of his sweet corn and that in consequence the corn was 
wilting and the ears not maturing. One corn plant was sent to 
the Station which had at its roots 20 Beetles, pupae and larvae. 
Careful examination of this plant, however, failed to disclose any 
material defacement by the Beetles and I was led to conclude that 
the nature of the soil had encouraged the withering of the corn. 
A visit to Merriam Park later, however, convinced me that this 
was not the case particularly as the season has been a wet one and 

Fig. 45.—Ligyrus gibbosus. From a pinned specimen; 4 times enlarged. 
a careful study of the various hills assured me that the Beetle 
was to blame. While no corn stalk examined was actually bored 
into still there was evidence of slight gnawing of the stalk and a 
part of the roots had evidently been bitten off. 
Mr. Shugard’s experience with a lantern trap is interesting 
as showing the futility of such contrivances often advertised as 
a “sure cure” for all sorts of insect pests. 
In four nights of trial in August he secured only 63 speci- 
mens of insects. 54 of these were moths; the remainder with one 
exception were small insects, the exception being a beetle. Nei- 
ther the moths nor the small insects were sent to me by Mr. Shu- 
gard. Only one individual then of the larger number of beetles 
