30 



MISCELLANEOUS KESULTS OF WORK OF BUREAU IX. 



which had evidently died prematurely as a result of overinfestation 

 by the weevils. Pods were examined during the first week of October, 

 and at this time half of those gathered were infested. The sound 

 pods may be easily separated from the infested ones, since the latter 

 are flattened, discolored, and sometimes even distorted, while sound 

 and fully matured pods are full and round like a diminutive pea-pod. 

 Most individuals were in the pupal condition at the last-mentioned 

 period. The adults, like others of the genus, feed upon the leaves, 

 piercing them with innumerable holes, from 20 to as many as 60 such 

 punctures being sometimes visible on a single small leaf. 



The insect hibernates in the beetle condition, escapes from the pod 

 about May or June, or earlier if the pod happens to crack, and the 

 punctures made upon the early appearance of the insect are plainly 

 visible in October. 



Careful comparison of the writer's reared material of Apion griseum 

 with typical specimens in the U. S. National Museum (some of which 

 appear to be types) of A. fratemum, identified as such by Dr. J. B. 

 Smith, who described that species, shows that this is the same insect 

 which was found by Dr. C. V. Riley on Strophostyles (Phaseolus) 

 paucifora as cited by Smith. The identity of these two forms has 

 also been recognized by Fall in his revision of the genus. 



The chalcidid fly Catolaccns incertus Ashm. was reared from in- 

 fested pods, and is undoubtedly parasitic on this Apion. 



APION COLON Sharp. 



February 6, 1903, Dr. Edward Palmer furnished specimens of this 



species collected at Alvarez, San Luis Potosi, Mexico, on a species of 



wild bean with scarlet flowers and tuberous 



roots, which is used as a cure for hydrophobia 



(Palmers No. 63). 



This species is not known to occur in our lim- 

 its, but is mentioned because of possible economic 

 importance. 



The accompanying illustration (fig. 7) repre- 

 sents a European species, and will assist the av- 

 erage student of entomology in recognizing wee- 

 vils of the genus. Upward of 100 species of the 

 genus Apion have been recognized in America 

 north of Mexico, and most of these are minute 

 or almost microscopic. It follows, therefore, as 

 there is considerable generic resemblance throughout, that these 

 many different forms are difficult of differentiation, both sexes being 

 frequently required to make specific determination. The body is 



a Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc, Vol. XXV, p. 147, 1898. 



Fig. 7. — Apion assi 

 mile, greatly en 

 larged. 



