THE LONG-HEADED FLOUR BEETLE. 27 
OCCURRENCE IN THE UNITED STATES. 
The occurrence of this genus in the United States was recorded 
only a few years ago, and the species was not recognized here until 
1908. January 16 of that year Mr. D. K. McMillan found this spe- 
cies in corn in a mill at Houston, Tex. It was not observed in 
abundance and was associated with other mill and grain insects. 
Later the same species was received from various points in Texas, 
viz, from New Braunfels, July 3, in flour; from San Antonio, July 25, 
in rye and elevator sweepings in mill material; from Galveston, in 
grain; from Fort Worth, in wheat and mill material; from Lyons 
and Wichita Falls, in wheat, grain, and refuse; and at Dallas, June 22, 
'1910, in refuse flour and dust in a mill basement. Practically all of 
these specimens were collected by Mr. McMillan. 
In February, 1910, Prof. R. H. Pettit sent several specimens of this 
species from wheat which came from a mill in Detroit, Mich., but 
which had doubtless been shipped from elsewhere. It was in this 
case associated with three or four other common species. The 
source of infestation could not be learned, nor is it known if the species 
is established so far north, although such is probably the case. 
This insect has a considerable literature for a species which was 
not described until 1880. Several references are at hand, omitting 
mere catalogue lists. It is not possible to tell what will be its future 
economic importance. It has shown its capability of holding its 
own with other flour beetles like Tribolium and also with Rhizo- 
pertha, Calandra, and Lsemophloeus — all grain feeders. It is now 
becoming acclimated indoors and may even make its abode out of 
doors in tropical and semitropical regions such as are afforded by 
Texas, portions of Kansas, Mexico, and other sections of the South; 
hence it would not be beyond the bounds of possibility for it to assume 
considerable economic interest in America. 
HISTORY AND LITERATURE. 
The species was described by Charles O. Waterhouse in 1880. 1 He 
mentions the fact that Mr. G. C. Champion had specimens found in 
rice (locality not stated), and that the species had been for some time 
represented by specimens in the British Museum and other collections. 
In 1894 Mr. G. C. Champion 8 published a note on this species and 
its occurrence in barley in a London granary from a sample from 
Bussorah, Persia, and one from Odessa, Russia. He noticed that 
the species is very active, and when the samples were placed in the 
sun or warmed the beetles rapidly emerged from the grain. He was 
informed that the insects soon spread from one bulk to another in 
granaries and expressed the opinion that the species was of eastern 
origin, although the real habitat was of course unknown, and that it 
