63 
S. parvulus, Gyll. This, the smallest of our Sphenophori hith¬ 
erto known, was described, by Gyllenhall in 1837 (5-961), and by 
lorn in 1873 (23M27), but was not noticed as an injurious insect 
mtil 1882, when Riley received it from corn fields in Missouri 
45-139). In 1885 I bred the beetle from larvrn devouring the 
)ulbs of timothy (56), and found the imago injuring both corn 
md wheat. Mr. Webster also found it in barley, oats, and corn; 
ired it from larvae infesting rye; and obtained larvae and eggs 
! rom wheat (54, 58). It transforms in August and hibernates under 
•ubbisli. In 1886 Hunt published its economic bibliography G5- 
[11), and in 1887 (59), Webster reported its occurrence m bulbs 
if timothy. 
DESCRIPTION. 
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 grsen in 
die “Classification of the Coleoptera of North America, by Re 
Gonte and Horn: 
Elytra without epipleurae, 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 
□ear the base of the beak; the labrurn 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 ha\e the thud 
joint glabrous or pilose at the sides, anu. 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. Slack, with clay-coloied natu¬ 
ral coating; thorax trivittate, branch of lateral vittse short 
or wanting; elytral intervals flat, alternately broader; size laige 
(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 vittse present. 
♦Prepared by Mr. C. A. Hart. 
