108 



between 4 and 5 acres in extent. Plot B, separated from plot A by a 

 distance of several hundred 3^ards, was between 2 and 3 acres in 

 extent. The general plan was to examine all seppa plants on plot A 

 at intervals of about 1 week, collecting all weevils which might be 

 found at each examination. As there were no other cotton fields in 

 the locality, it was safe to assume that all of the weevils found at these 

 successive examinations had come from hibernation within the limits 

 of that field. Owing to an unusual drought during March and April 

 the seppa plants obtained about 6 weeks' start of the planted cotton 

 (PI. XVII, figs. 73 and 74), and thus the comparatively small area kept 

 for examination was not influenced by any counter attraction of cotton 

 in other portions of the field. 



Table XXVI. — Gradual emergence from Jiibernation. 



Number 

 of exami- 

 nations. 



Date. 



Number of 

 seppa 

 plants 



examined. 



Number of 



weevils 

 collected. 



March 18 . . 

 March 25 . . 

 March 31 . . 



Aprils 



April 12.... 

 April 16.... 



Mayl 



May 11 



Mayl7 



May 19 



May 21-24.. 

 May 26 



Total 



250 

 400 

 540 

 530 

 400 

 200 

 250 

 420 

 670 

 503 

 1,543 

 194 



5,900 



19 

 20 

 26 

 35 

 60 

 40 

 24 



152 

 95 

 60 



102 

 15 



648 



From these observations it appears that normal emergence takes 

 place sometime in April or May in central and southern Texas, whether 

 earlier or later depending largely upon the earliness of the season. 

 Furthermore, the emergence of the first weevils may take place from 

 6 to 8 weeks before that of the last. In this fact lies one of the two 

 great obstacles which prevent the successful application of poisons to 

 the early plants as a means of destroying the weevils. The second 

 obstacle is explained on pages 109 to 110. Doubtless many weevils 

 perish soon after emergence, even if they succeed in finding food, 

 while many others never succeed in reaching a food supply. 



DISTANCE HIBERNATED WEEVILS WILL FLY TO FOOD. 



As a preliminary observation to obtain some idea as to the flight of 

 hibernated weevils, two specimens were taken in a closed room, each 

 being marked so that they could be distinguished. The plan followed 

 was to liberate them as far as possible from the windows, then follow 

 the course of their flight, estimating the distance covered each time. 

 In this way weevil A, in the course of nine successive flights, covered 

 a distance of about 191 feet; weevil B, in three flights, covered a dis- 



