62 NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS 



Which translated reads : " The first day of the month 

 of May is the happiest day of all to me. 'Twas on 

 that day I first beheld thee and my heart confessed 

 me thine. If my confession pleases thee, then ever 

 will the first day of the month of May be the hap- 

 piest of all the days to me." 



This little Insect is about half an inch long, and 

 feeds upon the pollen of the stamens of flowers — it 

 sucks also the sap of trees, principally that of willows, 

 and deposits its eggs at the side of roads, or in places 

 where garden weeds are heaped up, and in decayed 

 wood. Its larvae feed on different kinds of roots. 

 Reasoning from analogy with the nature of other 

 species of Cetonia, I should conclude that the larvae 

 of this Flower-beetle continue in that condition up- 

 wards of three years before they become perfect 

 Beetles. 



The Fox-like Cetonia, Amphicoma vulpina, (Tab. 

 II. Fig, 9,) is also a native of North America. It is 

 of about the same size as the Indian Cetonia, but 

 more slender, and covered all over with long reddish 

 hair, resembling a fox. 



Another Insect belonging to the family of Scav- 

 enger Beetles is the horned Fungus Eater, Boleto- 

 phagus cornutus, which feeds not only on decayed 

 fungus and mushrooms, but also on decayed wood. 

 The male and female species of this Insect I have 



