66 



S. ochreus? Larva. Under this name I describe, with great 

 misgiving as to its species, a larva found July 28, 1888, in a 

 cavity eaten in a bulb of the club rush (Pliragmites), where the 

 adult Splienophorus ochreus was very abundant, doing great injury 

 to corn and millet. — A thick, footless grub about 12 mm. long by 

 5 mm. broad, white, except the head and cervical shield; the for- 

 mer chestnut-brown, blackening to the clypeus, which is paler than 

 -either front or labrum. Occiput marked with two pale vittee, 

 which meet posteriorly, forming there an indefinite pale patch, and 

 diverge toward the mandibles, extending as far as the frontal 

 suture. These vittse bordered externally at base by a short dash 

 of black. A similar short dash upon each side of the base of the 

 head, usually concealed by the first segment of the body. No 

 lateral pale vittse as- in robustus. Mandibles black; other mouth 

 parts brown. 



Head regularly oval, the sides not angular. Occiput with a 

 shallow median channel, linear behind, but deepening and broad- 

 ening to the frontal suture, beyond which it becomes a still deeper 

 irregular three-lobed impression, and then continues for a little 

 distance on the front as an indistinct slight line. A rather large 

 distinct vertical frontal impression on either side of the terminal 

 portion of this line, extending into the conspicuously corrugated 

 frontal area. Front with a curved transverse row of four bristles, 

 the lateral ones at its anterior margins, two additional bristles 

 above these, near the frontal suture. Corrugations of the front 

 transverse, interrupted by irregular smooth patches. Sides of front 

 with indistinct vertical ridge or obtuse angle just within base of 

 mandibles. Occipital vitta with, two bristle-bearing punctures, one 

 at its lower end and one at its lower third, these connected by a 

 delicate impressed line. Another broken impressed line, somewhat 

 parallel to the above, at a little distance outside it, connects three 

 bristle-bearing punctures upon the occiput, the lower one of these 

 with a distinct smooth puncture between it and the frontal suture. 



Clyx)eus free, smooth, elevated in front, its anterior and posterior 

 margins nearly straight, the latter with two short stout bristles at 

 -each side, near the angle. Labrum irregularly impressed with two 

 vertical grooves, and an obscure transverse connecting groove form- 

 ing a broad letter H. Bears six bristles on the exposed surface, 

 four in a transverse row, and two on the anterior margin. Frontal 

 suture obtusely rounded at apex, distinctly sinuate between this 

 and the jjoint of contact with the frontal vitta. 



Antenna) rudimentary and very minute, at extreme frontal mar- 

 gin, just within end of frontal suture, at base of mandible, bonie 

 at the end of the shining curved tubercle. But one ocellus at 

 edge of front, separated from antenna by frontal suture. Mandible 

 entire at thi) tip, grooved at base, external groove with a single 

 bristh^, outer surfnce above the groove less distinctly so. Cardo 

 flmall, wodge-slia{)e(l, sii[)os hirge, witli a larger and deep excavation 

 benfath. Maxillary ])alpi three-jointed; basal joint wide as h»ng, 

 second joint longer than wide, uarrrowed distally, about half as 



