61 



S.' sculpfilis, Uliler. This species, described by Uhler (9) in 

 1855, was first mentioned in that year, under the name of S. venatus, 

 Say, as an enemy to corn in New York by Dr. Fitch (10), who 

 described the adult, reported it common in meadows, groves, and 

 gardens, and suggested hand picking and the application of lime 

 as remedies for its injuries. 



In 1860 (13) it was mentioned by Mr. Geddes, of New York, as 

 a new enemy to corn. 



Neit, it was described by Walsh in 1867 as S. zece (17), on the 

 supposition that it had not been previously recognizedi Its occur- 

 rence in Rock Island and on the Lake beach at Chicago is recorded 

 and its receipt reported from Pennsylvania and New York, its in- 

 juries to corn in these states being also described. Walsh ventures 

 the surmise that the larva lives in moist decaying wood, and 

 suggests that the beetles may be distributed in swamp muck. 

 He considers it likely that the adult will be found injurious to 

 corn only where large accumulations of driftwood occur. 



We find it also referred to in the "Prairie Farmer" for 1867 

 (Vol. XX., p. 21) under the name S. aniiqua, with a record of its 

 first suppose^} appearance in New York (quoted from the "Rural 

 New Yorker") in 1866, and a report that it had been very trouble- 

 some in corn in 1867. 



In the following year (1868) Dr. Cyrus Thomas speaks of it in 

 the "Prairie Farmer," page 26, as injurious to grass and corn, and 

 repeats Walsh's surmise with respect to its breeding in rotten 

 wood. 



Still under the name of S. zece, Dr. Riley treats it in 1871 (21), 

 reprints .Walsh's description of the adult, gives the history and 

 method of its attack, and speaks of its larval history as unknown. 



In 1873 Dr. Horn describes it in his monograph of the genus 

 (23-424) under its original name of scalpiilis, and also under that 

 of zece, the identity of the two forms not having yet been recognized. 



In 1875 Dr. Packard speaks of it briefly (25), describes the 

 adult, mentions its occurrence in New York and Massachusetts, and 

 recommends hand picking. 



In 1876 (28-425), Dr. LeConte unites zece with sculpiilis, but 

 in 1877, Dr. C. Thomas, then State Entomologist of Illinois, refers 

 to it briefly in his Sixth Report (29), still under the name of 

 S zece, Walsh.; describes the adult; and speaks of its injuries to 

 corn. This matter is repeated in substantially the same terms in 

 his next Report (30). ^ 



In 1879, Lintner gives the synonymy of this species, speaks of its ex- 

 tensive distribution, and describes the adult (34-46). He mentions 

 esyjecially its injuries in New Jersey, and gives a synopsis of 

 its past history. 



In 1880 Prof. Comstock, Entomologist of the United States 

 Department of iVgriculture, treats this species (36), still under the 

 name oi zece, speaks of its injuries to corn in Missouri, on dry 



