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JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 
[Vol. 13 
Blatchley and Leng give the distribution of the species as “New 
York to Iowa and Nebraska, south to Florida and Louisiana, scarce in 
southern Indiana.” My information, so far as it goes, coincides closely 
with this. I have found the larvae common in corn along the Ohio 
river from West Virginia to its mouth and in middle Tennessee and 
Kentucky the beetles sometimes become noticeably abundant. It is 
reported from numerous places in Maryland, New Jersey (Smith, 1910), 
North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi but I 
have failed to find it in Florida. Forbes and Hart (1900) record its 
distribution as “Atlantic states to the Rocky Mountains.” Bruner 
(1891) records it from Nebraska. In addition, I have reports of what 
may prove to be this species from South Dakota. Just what factor it 
is that determines the northern limit of distribution is not known but 
it is suggested that it may be the depth to which the ground freezes 
during the winter. If this is true the species 
will work its way northward during a series of 
years with mild winters only to be thrown back 
by one with unusually low temperatures. An 
interesting observation in support of such a 
theory was made by Mr. C. M. Packard at a 
locality in Maryland where the elevation within 
35 miles rises from 500 feet to 2,100 feet. At 
the lower altitude the species was abundant but 
higher up it disappeared entirely. 
Corn seems to be the main and most common 
food plant though larvse which seem in every 
respect to be the same have been found in the 
stems of Panicum crusgalii and P. dichotomi- 
florum. It is very likely that other large grasses are also attacked. 
In one instance in middle Tennessee it was reported that millet grown 
for seed was being injured by a stem-boring curculionid larva and from 
the few immature larvse I saw it is merely suggested that the work 
may have been that of this species. So far as our observations go it 
does not attack sorghum, broom corn or other closely related plants. 
On corn no injurious effects have been connected with its presence. 
In corn the egg is laid in the main stem either in or immediately 
below the tassel. Even though the beetles are present no eggs are 
laid until the tassel is pushed out beyond the sheath thus exposing the 
culm. Very shortly, usually, after this has occurred the inconspicuous 
punctures of the beetles may be found on the stem but seldom or never 
on the tassel branches. The puncture is characteristic and unlike 
that made by any other insect with which I am familiar. It is elliptic 
in shape with its long axis, perpendicular, open, about .20 mm. by .40 
Fig. 8. — Centrinus 
penicellus, dorsal view. 
