al ama 
THE ROUGH-HEADED CORN STALK-BEETLE 95 
off by strong winds. Plate I, A, represents a badly injured cornfield 
in the vicinity of Tappahannock. This field had been replanted 
several times. There were a number of fields showing such injury in 
the vicinity of Tappahannock. 
An interesting discovery in relation to the feeding habits of E’ve- 
theola rugiceps is that it will feed readily on apples, either in breed- 
ing cages or in the field. This fact was first ascertained by Ezra 
Shackelford, at Tappahannock, who informed the junior writer that 
he had found a beetle feeding on a fallen apple in the orchard. This 
observation subsequently was verified. 
All efforts to find the beetles feeding under natural conditions on 
common grasses other than Paspalum spp., and Bermuda grass were 
futile, though in breeding cages they were induced to accept Panicum 
iindheimert and Fimbristylis baldwiniana. The indications, how- 
ever, are that the beetles do not like these plants, and that they feed 
upon them only when deprived of all other food. 
Since ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis) Was a common weed in 
the typical habitat of the species, an experiment was made to ascer- 
tain if the beetles were capable of utilizing it for food. The results 
were entirely negative. The junior writer found that the common 
ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiaefolia), the well-known food plant of 
Ligyrus gibbosus, was unacceptable to /. rugiceps in breeding cages, 
nor could they ever be found attacking these plants in the field. 
One or two correspondents of the Bureau of Entomology have 
stated that potatoes are occasionally injured by H'wetheola rugiceps. 
To test this point, the junior writer on one occasion buried a few 
tubers in a cage containing a considerable number of beetles, but the 
latter apparently took no notice of them. 
At Tappahannock HLuetheola rugiceps could never be found attack- 
ing the common grass locally known as goose-grass (Hleusine indica) , 
but to ascertain if the beetles are capable of subsisting on it a 
quantity was transplanted to one of the cages containing the beetles. 
When examined a week later it was found that a number of the culms 
had been shredded to some extent at the base, but that in only a few 
was the injury serious. Evidently the beetles do not willingly feed 
upon this grass, but may possibly do so to a slight extent if unable to 
obtain more acceptable food. 
Since the beetles were found to be rather common in one of the 
timothy-clover pastures at Tappahannock, tests were made to ascer- 
tain if the beetles would feed upon these plants. In both instances 
they were untouched. It is probable, therefore, that beetles living in 
timothy and clover fields derive their sustenance from some other 
plant associated with them. This, in all hkelihood, is Bermuda grass, 
which is usually common in such fields. 
Occasionally the adults are accused of damaging rice. The writers 
have never had an opportunity to study the species in rice-growing 
sections and are unable to speak on this matter from personal obser- 
vation. Inasmuch as L'wetheola rugiceps in one or two instances was 
reported as injuring rice, and subsequently proved to be the allied 
species Dyscinetus trachypygus, the writers can not avoid the sus- 
picion that all other reports of such injury may be cases of mistakes 
in identification. Superficially the adults of the two species are 
much alike and may be easily confused by Bers not familiar with 
their distinctive characters. 
