14 PAPERS ON CEREAL AND FORAGE INSECTS. 



stalk just at the surface of the ground, preferably and occasionally a little 

 below. The young larva?, hatching, work usually downward, and may be found 

 at almost any age in that part of the stalk from which the roots are given out. 

 A few specimens were found which had worked upward for a few inches into 

 the first section of the stalk above ground, but these were all very large indi- 

 viduals, and I conclude that the larva only bores into the stalk proper after 

 having consumed all available pith below ground. 



The pupa? were both found in cavities opposite the first suckers, surrounded 

 by excrement compactly pressed, so as to form a sort of cell. 



Wherever the larva had reached its full size, the pith of the stalk was found 

 completely eaten out for at least 5 inches. Below ground even the hard ex- 

 ternal portions of the stalk were eaten through, and in one instance everything 

 except the rootlets had disappeared and the stalk had fallen to the ground. 



In a great majority of instances but a single larva was found in a stalk, but 

 a few cases were found where two larva? were at work. In no case had an 

 ear filled on a stalk bored by this larva. The stalk was often stunted and 

 twisted, and the lower leaves were "invariably brown and withered. 



In one field, which had been completely under water for six days in January, 

 the beetles were apparently as healthy as in fields which had remained above 

 water. 



INJURIES SINCE 1895. 



The records of reports of injury which follow, received by Dr. 

 Chittenden during the past decade, substantiate the observations of 

 Dr. Howard made in 1881. and add as well to our knowledge of the 

 life economy of the species. 



In 1895 this billbug was destructive in three localities in Kansas, 

 complaints all being made during the first week of May. At 

 Cedar Vale immense damage was done, the insect " taking whole 

 fields of corn, hill by hill." Similar injury was observed at Dexter 

 and Leon, these reports having been made by Mr. Hugo Kahl in a 

 letter dated July 27, 1898. 



The following year Prof. F. S. Earle reported, June 6, injury by 

 this species at Wetumpka, Ala., on the Coosa River, where there was 

 great complaint of it as a destructive enemy of corn, especially on 

 low-lying bottom lands. The insect was well known there as a bill- 

 bug, and was not found on hilly land. It worked below ground, and 

 when the stalks were not killed outright they put out an immense 

 number of suckers. The beetles were most destructive to early plant- 

 ings, corn planted after the middle of May being usually little 

 injured. 



In 1901 Mr. J. E. Williams, Augusta, Butler County, Kans., wrote, 

 August 28, of injury to corn. Attack commenced as soon as the corn 

 came through the ground, and the billbugs ate and dug down to the 

 kernel and devoured that. In larger corn they bored into the stalk 

 and wintered over in the old stalks, usually below ground. Whole 

 fields were destroyed, the beetles remaining to continue their work on 

 second plantings. The insect was known locally as the " elephant 

 bug." September 6 Mr. Williams sent larvae and adults and their 



