236 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS j < >Ct., '22 



Stage IV. Head dark gray with longitudinal black stripes, heavy 

 black stripe crossing the apex of each lobe, continued by a light stripe 

 to corner of the mouth ; body dark gray, a geminate dorsal stripe and 

 three lighter lateral lines. 



Stage V. Head gray, heavily striped with black, a little paler apical- 

 ly. Body gray, with subdorsal and spiracular Hues of small black 

 spots ; two faint centrodorsal and three darker lateral lines. 



Stage VI. Head light gray, longitudinally lined with dark gray 

 brown stripes, prominent darker brownish stripe on the apex of each 

 lobe extending just over the front; a heavy black stripe extending out- 

 ward from the jaws, after a short distance apparently merging into the 

 lines of the face; body gray with centrodorsal, subdorsal and two 

 lateral darker lines, the subdorsal being most prominent; dorsum with 

 pale oval or diamond-shaped patches; the posterior portion of the fifth 

 and the anterior of the sixth abdominal segments darker. Fringes 

 pinkish white. 



The larvae vary somewhat in shade of color but on the whole 

 are quite constant. A single larva from ova laid by variety 

 panlina produced var. panllna. The larva was quite similar 

 to the larvae of the normal lacrymosa. 



The food plant of both C. uhihiinc and C. lacrymosa is 

 hickory. 



Biological Notes on Elateridae and Melasidae (Col..) 



By H. B. KIRK, Bureau of Plant Industry, Department of 

 Agriculture, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 



The following miscellaneous biological notes on insects of 

 the families Elateridae and Melasidae have been assembled 

 from field observations, rearings and collections by the author 

 over a number of years, and from notes and specimens in the 

 collection of the Bureau of Plant Industry by others, to whom 

 due credit is given in the text. 



Little is known of the habits of the adults of these two fam- 

 ilies, although they may be collected on foliage, flowers, trees 

 and on the ground, sometimes 'beneath stones. 



Larvae of some of the species are predaceous. This is par- 

 ticularly true of the species of Adelocera, Chalcolepidius, Alans 

 and Hemirhipus, which are decidedly beneficial. Certain spe- 

 cies of other genera attack living plant tissue, roots, tubers, etc., 

 and are destructive. Those attacking dead or decaying wood 



