THE INSECTS OCCURRING IN THE FOREIGN EXHIBITS OF THE 
WORLD'S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION. 
Bye Gio. RILEY. 
Beginning with the first week of October and continuing at intervals 
up to date of writing, a number of newspaper articles and notices have 
appeared bearing upon the subject of the insect-infested grain exhibits 
at the World’s Fair. From these accounts, nearly all of which are 
more or less erroneous, imperfect, and misleading, all sorts of opinions 
have become prevalent as to the ultimate danger of the introduction of 
new and undesirable insect pests. Indeed, some newspapers have 
seemed to take delight in magnifying the danger and in reflecting upon 
Chicago and the Exposition, and have even used a report, made by me 
to Mr. W. I. Buchanan, chief executive of the Department of Agricul- 
ture of the Exposition, and presently reproduced, as a basis for these 
exaggerated and somewhat sensational articles. Under the cireum- 
stances a full and truthful statement of the facts will serve a useful 
purpose. 
In the first newspaper accounts which appeared the damage was with | 
great uniformity attributed to “ the weevil,” which with equal uniformity 
was stated to be a newspecies introduced into the Agricultural Building 
in some of the foreign exhibits. For the benefit of the general reader it 
should be stated that while there are but two true grain weevils known 
to be established in this country, viz, the Rice Weevil (Calandra oryze) 
and the Grain Weevil (C. granaria), a score or two of other insects 
which attack grain after the manner of Calandra, are of common occur- 
rence with us, and several of them are popularly but erroneously known 
as grain weevils. 
On July 15 last I wrote to Mr. F. H. Chittenden, one of the assist- 
ants of this Division, then in charge of the entomological exhibit of 
the Department in the Government Building of the Exposition, to keep 
a lookout for new insects in the cereal exhibits of foreign countries and 
to report thereon. Acting under these instructions, Mr. Chittenden 
employed such opportunities as offered, and paid several visits through 
the summer to the foreign exhibits on the grounds of the exposition. 
Of the earlier species found, represented chiefly by dead specimens 
taken from jars of herbs, roots, seeds, and the like, a few were indeed 
new, but the living insects all proved to be of common and well- 
known species. Later, however, toward the close of September, many 
species not hitherto observed began to make their appearance in such 
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