2 BULLETIN 1083, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
ORIGIN AND ECONOMIC HISTORY. 
Caulophilus latinasus was described in the year 1831 by Thomas. 
Say (13: 1831, p. 30; 1859, p. 299) from specimens taken in Florida |y 
It is thought to be native to the American continent and is not as }/ 
yet very widely distributed. 
In 1878 Schwarz (14, p. 468) recorded it from Florida as “rare, 
beaten from dead twigs.’’ Ten years later Riley and Howard | 
(11, p. 198) stated that the genus lived under the bark of dead and |; 
decaying wood or bored into decaying wood of deciduous or coniferous 
trees. In 1894 Townsend’ reported it as occurring in a can of ginger. 
Two years later Chittenden (3, p. 29-30) reported it for the first time 
as attacking stored grain, having found it in a shipment of corn. 
and chick peas obtained from the Mexican exhibit at the Atlanta 
Exposition. In 1897 (4, p. 30-31) and 1911 (4) Chittenden published 
short accounts concerning the occurrence of this weevil in the 
United States, its synonymy, its reported distribution, the damage | 
caused by it, etc., and also included a list of references to this species 
in literature. 
Since then it has been reported by the following writers as attacking 
seeds of the avocado in Florida: Schwarz (1, p. 183), Sasscer (12, 
p. 4-6), Blatchley and Leng (2, p. 535), Pierce (8, p. 30, pl. 49), 
Popenoe (9, p. 6) (10, p. 34-35, pl. 40), Hoyt (6), and Moznette (7). : 
It was also found by inspectors of the Federal Horticultural Board 
infesting roots of dasheen in storage at Brooksville, Fla. 
PRESENT KNOWN DISTRIBUTION. 
Caulophilus latunasus is now widespread over Florida and has been 
reported from South Carolina and Georgia. So far as can be deter- 
mined, it has not become permanently established in either of the 
two latter States. It is abundant within a few miles of the boundary 
between Florida and Georgia, however, and may be expected to 
invade the southern portion of Georgia. i 
It is known to occur in Jamaica, Cuba, Porto Rico, Mexico, Guate- 
mala, and Madeira, and is doubtless common throughout the islands 
of the West Indies and in the countries of Central and South America. 
FOOD. 
Caulophilus latinasus is known to breed in corn, chick peas, millets, 
acorns, and seed of the avocado and has occasionally been found 
breeding in the roots of the dasheen and in sweet potatoes. 
In addition, the adult weevils feed readily on wheat, barley, wheat 
flour, ginger, and macaroni. The writer has occasionally found them 
feeding on fresh fruits, and E. R. Sasscer, of the Federal Horticultural 
Board, states that the board has observed injury to chayotes by this 
weevil. 
A 
1 Reference is made by number (italic) to ‘‘ Literature cited,” p. 10. 
2 TOWNSEND, C.H.T. Institute of Jamaica, Notes from the Museum, No. 78, 1894. (Hectographed.) 
