TRIBE VII. HYLBSININI. 665 



clant in central New York in 1878, which has spread westward to 

 Indiana, and is also known on the Atlantic coast south to Penn- 

 sylvania. Apparently not yet known in New England or south- 

 ward.* It passes the winter in the adult stage within the roots 

 in which it has developed, leaving them in May and June to 

 deposit eggs either in the crown of the plant or on the side of the 

 root slightly below the crown. The larvae burrow downward into 

 the root, continuing to eat until August or October, when pupa- 

 tion takes place. The effect on the plant is similar to that of 

 prolonged drought, but as the plants are exempt from attack in 

 the first year, when the roots are scarcely large enough for the 

 grubs, the remedy is summer fallowing as soon as the hay crop 

 is removed. In this country the plant especially attacked has 

 been red clover, Trifoliwii pratense L. ; in Europe other species 

 of clover and Spartinuvi scoparium, Ononis natrix and Ulev 

 europwus are also cited as food plants. H. trifolii Mull, is a 

 synonym. 



III. SCIERUS Lee., 1876. 



Contains a single species, included by Hagedorn (1910) as 

 a subgenus of Hylastes but separated by SAvaine (1909) on ac- 

 count of first joint of antennal club being nearly as long as 

 joints 2, 3 and 4 united. 



1075 (9188). SCIERUS ANNECTENS Lee., 1876, 390. 



Oblong-cylindrical. Dark brown, opaque, thinly clothed with very 

 short, depressed yellow hairs. Beak flat, punctured and hairy, about twice 

 as wide as long, not impressed or carinate. Antennae with 7-jointed funicle 

 and 4-jointed ovate pointed club, the first joint of which is smooth, shin- 

 ing and nearly as long as the others united. Head convex, visible from 

 above. Prothorax one-third wider than long, rounded on the sides, nar- 

 rowed in front, densely and strongly punctured, with a narrow dorsal line,, 

 sometimes obsolete. Elytra wider than thorax, basal margin rather acute, 

 finely serrate; strise deeply impressed, punctured, intervals wider than 

 striae, scabrous with transverse rugosities, becoming asperate on sides 

 toward tip; intervals also become more convex on declivity, third and 

 ninth uniting near tip and joining the first. Beneath coarsely and sparsely 

 punctured and pubescent. First and second ventral segments equal, third 

 and fourth shorter, fifth as long as second. Legs lighter brown, tibiae 

 dilated and broadly serrate. Length 3.G mm. 



Described from Anticosti Island, British Columbia, and Van- 

 couver. Reported also from Maine, but apparently not a well 

 known species. Food plant, Picea. 



*Circ. No. 67, U. S. Div. Ent., Webster, is especially devoted to this insect. 



