70 



in the field and carefully examined in the laboratory. Notes were 

 made especially upon the following points : The number of warts, the 

 number of punctures obviously made for feeding only, the number 

 of special egg punctures, and the numbers of eggs, larva3, and pupae 

 found. Only those excrescences were counted as warts which showed 

 a positive elevation, and, as was expected, many eggs were found 

 which had not been deposited long enough for a wart to have formed. 

 Out of the 105 squares examined, 26 showed no warts, while the 

 remaining 79 squares had 92 warts. In tracing the connection of 

 these 92 warts it was found that 77 at least, or almost 84 per cent of 

 the total, resulted from egg punctures. The other 15 warts, or 16 per 

 cent, were assigned to feeding punctures, though some of these may 

 possibly have been egg punctures in which decay had concealed all 

 trace of the eggs or small larva?. One-half of the eggs found were 

 in punctures closed by developed warts, and it is likely that most of 

 the other half were of too recent deposition for warts to have formed. 

 Three-fourths of the larvae found in this lot were in punctures which 

 had been overgrown by warts. 



In another series of 35 older squares, 38 warts and 32 eggs, larvae, 

 and pupae were found. This series also shows that at least 81 per cent 

 of the warts resulted from egg punctures. The conclusion seems jus- 

 tified, therefore, that warts may be considered as the most conspicu- 

 ous external indication of the presence of the weevil in some stage 

 within the square. 



It should be noted in connection with warts that feeding frequently, 

 and oviposition more rarely, is followed by a peculiar gelatinization of 

 the injured portion of the square. This condition spreads, and the 

 change produces a considerable internal pressure, so that the square 

 becomes distorted and bulges, especially at the place where the punc- 

 ture was made. The bulging portion often resembles somewhat a 

 wart formation, but its real nature is very different. In many cases 

 the gelatinized condition appears to have caused the death of the 

 young larvae, either by the pressure or by the abnormal condition of 

 the food supply. In a large number of cases, however, this condi- 

 tion undoubtedly results from what were feeding injuries only. 



EFFECTS OF OVIPOSITION UPON SQUARES. 



The method of recording the progress of injury to each square, as 

 was done in the field cages, has furnished much data upon a number 

 of important points. Among these the two of most importance are, 

 in order of their occurrence, the flaring and the falling of the square. 



FLARING. 



The flaring of squares (PI. X, fig. 42) is one of the most apparent 

 signs of weevil presence, although by no means an invariable accom- 

 paniment, as it is usually thought to be. Squares flare in nearly as 



