63 



^S'. parvulus, Gyll. This, the smallest of our Sphenophori hith- 

 erto known, was described by Gyllenhall in 1837 (5-961), and by 

 Horn in 1873 (23-427), but was not noticed as an injurious insect 

 until 1882, when Eiley received it from corn fields in Missouri 

 (45-139). In 1885 I bred the beetle from larvae devouring the 

 bulbs of timothy (56), and found the imago injuring both corn 

 and wheat. Mr. Webster also found it in barley, oats, and corn; 

 bred it from larvae infesting rye; and obtained larvse and eggs 

 from wheat (54, 58). It transforms in August and hibernates under 

 rubbish. In 1886 Hunt published its economic bibliography (65- 

 111), and in 1887 (59), Webster reported its occurrence in bulbs 

 of timothy. 



DESCKIPTION. 



The Genus Sphenophorus. From other snout beetles the genus 

 Sphenophorus may be distinguished by the following list of char- 

 acters abstracted from those of the family and genus as given in 

 the "Classification of the Coleoptera of North America," by Le 

 Conte and Horn: 



Elytra without epipleurse, but with a strong fold on the inner 

 surface; the pygidium normal, uncovered, undivided in both sexes. 

 The tibiae are not serrate; the antennae are geniculate, inserted 

 near the base of the beak; the labrum is wanting; the last spira- 

 cle is not visible. The head is carried horizontally, the beak 

 never narrowed behind the eyes, and at most capable of being 

 brought down to a vertical position. First abdominal suture 

 nearly obliterated at the middle. The side pieces of the meta- 

 thorax not very wide, those in the mesothorax broadly truncate 

 externally, so that the outline of the elytra near the base is 

 straight. The spongy part of the antennal club is convex; the 

 anterior coxae are but narrowly separated; the tarsi have the third 

 joint glabrous or pilose at the sides, and the body is glabrous 

 beneath. 



The characters of the species with which we are concerned may 

 be best shown by an analytical synopsis. 



KEY TO ILLINOIS SPECIES.* 

 (See Plates I— III.) 



1 (2). Hind tarsi with third joint broadly dilated, spongy pubes- 



cent beneath except at middle. Black, with clay-colored natu- 

 ral coating; thorax trivittate, branch of lateral vittae short 

 or wanting; elytral intervals flat, alternately broader; size large 

 (13-18 mm.). Can. to Ariz ochreus. 



2 (1). Hind tarsi with third joint slightly or not at all dilated, 



beneath merely fringed at sides, or smooth. 



3 (18). Lateral thoracic vittae present. 



♦Prepared by Mr. C. A. Hart. 



