192 



eral times. P. convexinr (interstitialis) was found by Webster in 

 Indiana* in June, fecdiiis; on corn leaves and on a grass (Panicimi crus- 

 golli). It worked almost exclusively on the lower leaves, but gnawed 

 the tissues from beneath, leaving the upper skin and the veins intact. 

 ]-{oth these species are treated in relation to their injuries to sugar-beets 

 in the Twenty-first Reixirt of this office (p. 124). They are small, 

 elongate-oval, bronzed flea-beetles, about a twelfth of an inch long. 

 Nothing is known of their immature stages. 



THE ARGUS TORTOISE-BEETLE. 



Chelymorpha argus Licht. 



This is a convex oval leaf-beetle (Fig. 192), resembling a large lad}-- 



bug. It is about three eighths of an inch long, yellowish to red, with a 



number of small black dots. It has been charged with feeding on corn 



and other plants in New York, and has been taken on 



corn in Iowa. Its native food is known to be the 



species of the morning-glory family (ConvolvulacecB) , 



and it also feeds commonly on milkweeds. Dr. John 



Hamilton says, as quoted by Webster,t that the 



beetles wander from their natural food plants to 



others, on which they occasionally feed. They seem 



v(M-y fond of [\\o water held in the axils of corn 



Fio. 192. The Ar- loavcs, but it IS uot Certain that they injvu'e the 



Cheiymorphu^arTut'. i)hints. The spccics occurs in Illinois, but is not 



Twice natural size. i , i 



(S aunders.) kiiowii to l)e commou. 



TUK SNOUT-BEETLES. 



Rhynchophora. 



In addition to the bill-bugs and curculios already treated in this 

 report, the two following species have been found injuring corn in a 

 similar manner, by gnawing or ])iincturing the surface of the stem. 



The Strawberry Crown-girdler. 



Otiorhynchus ovatus Linn. 



Adults of this species were found at Urbaiia July 22 by Mr. J. S. 

 Terrill, an assistant of this office, in hills of corn. One of them was 

 gnawing the surface tissues at the base of a corn-stalk, the others were 

 found among the roots. PlnciMl in a breeding-cage with corn plants, 

 one of the beetles burrowed down at the base of the stalk, which was 

 afterwards found to be slightly gnawed. In a few days all died. 



*Rep. U. S. Ent., 1887. p. 150. tEnt. News, Vol. IV., p. 227. 



