6 BULLETIN 539, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Cowfeas: 



Victoria, Tex., August 30, 1902 (W. D. Hunter); Fredericksburg, Va., Sep- 

 tember 2, 1902 (G. W. Koiner); Columbia, S. C, and other points in the 

 State, and Georgia, 1905 (F.M.Webster); Columbia, S.C., 1914 (P. Luginbill); 

 Gainesville, Fla., July and August, 1916 (R. N. Wilson and H. L. Dozier); 

 Boca Grande, Fla., June 29, 1916 (H. L. Dozier); Arcadia, Fla., June and 

 July, 1916 (Joseph Crews). 

 Chufa (Cyperus esculentus): 



Arcadia, Fla., June and July, 1916 (Joseph Crews). 

 Crab grass (Eleusine indica) : 



Columbia, S. C, other points in the State and Georgia, 1905 (F. M. Webster); 

 Columbia, S. C, August 27, 1913 (P. Luginbill). 

 Japanese cane: 



Arcadia, Fla., June and July, 1916 (Joseph Crews). 

 Johnson grass: 



Tempe, Ariz., November 3, 1914 (Edmund II. Gibson). 

 Milo maize: 



Tempe, Ariz., October, 1914 (Edmund H. Gibson). 

 Peanuts: 



Athens, Ga., September 25, 1889 (Thomas I. Todd). 

 Sorghum: 



Columbia, S. C, other points in the State and Georgia (F. M. Webster); Colum- 

 bia, S. C, 1913-1915 (P. Luginbill). 

 Sugar cane: 



New Orleans, La., June 16, 1914 (T. E. Holloway). 

 Turnips : 



Athens, Ga., October, 1889 (Thomas I. Todd), feeding on the leaves. 

 Wheat: 



Nashville, Tenn., November 4, 1915 (Geo. G. Ainslie). 



Although it would seem from the above that the larvae are omniv- 

 orous, the investigations of the writers disclose the fact that they 

 show a decided fondness for the Graminege and probably would confine 

 themselves almost exclusively to plants belonging to this order if 



always obtainable. 



RECENT INJURIES. 



This species is particularly injurious because it shows a decided 

 fondness for attacking plants growing in sandy soil. Soil of this type 

 generally is deficient in fertilizing elements and also suffers very 

 quickly from drought. Consequently plants growing in such soil 

 are not as thrifty and vigorous as those growing in loamy soils, and 

 when attacked they lack vitality to counteract the injury and suffer 

 more than do those in soils of more favorable nature. It frequently 

 occurs that only certain portions of the field are of this sandy type 

 and in such cases infestation is confined to the sandy areas, it often 

 being difficult to find larvae in the rest of the field. 



During the summer of 1913 about 2 acres of sorghum in a field on 

 the State farm near Columbia, S. C, was practically laid waste by 

 the ravages of this species. The soil in this area was almost pure 

 sand, while the rest of the field was sandy loam. In many instances, 



