24 
None of the species under consideration develop more than one brood 
each year ; in fact, it is a common occurrence for them to extend their 
larval existence over a period of two or more years. They are omniv- 
orous and appear to prefer an animal diet. There are no records of 
serious injury by them to other than animal substances. 
Obviously there is little likelihood of any of these species of Der- 
mestidse ever assuming prime economic importance as enemies of 
cereal or other vegetable products, although each species in its own 
particular way inflicts its share of injury. 
WEEVILS THAT AFFECT THE SEED OF THE COWPEA. 
The cowpea is subject to the depredations of two species of weevils, 
Bruchus quadrimaculatus Fab. and B. chinensis Linn., which injure its 
seed in the same manner as the common bean weevil, Bruchus obtectus, 
does the bean. They begin work in the garden and field and continue 
to breed in the stored seed, which they very soon entirely spoil as food 
for man or stock, and seriously impair its germinating power. Both 
species are generally distributed and injurious in the South and are 
widening their range with the increasing use of their food plant. 
Just when they were first introduced in this country does not appear 
to be known even approximately, nor do I find anything definite toward 
establishing the date of their first discovery here. In the old Mel- 
sbeimer catalogue of 1806, B. 4-maculatus is mentioned, and in the 
younger Melsheimer's catalogue, published in 1853, both are listed as 
synonymous with B. sinuatus Sch., chinensis receiving mention as scutel- 
laris Fab., by which name the species is generally known. In Dr. Horn's 
revision of the Bruchidse, published twenty years later, both species 
are considered, this being the first definite record that I find of their 
occurrence in America, though undoubtedly they were introduced at an 
earlier date with their food plant. 
ECONOMIC LITERATURE. 
Until recent years little had been published concerning the habits of 
either species, the first notice of any extent being that by Dr. J. A. 
Lintner on B. chinensis, published in 1890 in his sixth New York report 
(pp. 127-129). Following this, three years later, "Pysehe" (Vol. VI, 
pp. 447-449), and during the present year Messrs. Herbert Osborn and 
C. W. Mally of the Iowa Experiment Station, published a 9-page article 
on the same species in Bulletin No. 32 of that station (pp. 386-394). 
Dr. Lintner did not work out the life history of chinensis, and his 
published surmise that its life history and habits " would be about 
the same as those of the common species," B. pisorum, is incorrect, as 
he has subsequently stated. 
Mr. Slingerland presented some interesting facts concerning the 
development of quadrimaculatus, and Osborn and Mally gave an 
