42 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



death to olive green, and in old specimens becomes almost imperceptible, 

 while the three posterior spots retain their color, the term 5-ptinctata 

 loses its significance. Indeed, on reading Dr. Hamilton's remarks on 

 the species in the Canadian Entomologst, I examined some specimens 

 taken several years since, and came to the conclusion that they were 

 Randall's species. The description given by Walsh and Riley, American 

 Entomologist and Botanist, vol. 2, p. 4, has, I think, been taken from 

 cabinet specimens, as they give it as " more or less pale dull olive color, 

 dotted with pale yellow. Thorax with three black spots behind the middle. 

 Before the middle black spot a double dark olive spot, composed of two 

 trapezoidal spots transversely ai ranged, and not unfrequently more or less 

 confluent with each other." I have taken the beetle abundantly last 

 summer, and bred a number from the larva, and all mature specimens 

 were pure black and white when living, but they fade soon after death, when 

 they answer to the description given by Walsh and Riley, but in time the 

 anterior spot almost entirely disappears. This double spot appears to be 

 the only difference between helianthi and ^-punctata., and may perhaps 

 have been overlooked by Randall ; there may, however, be a form with 

 only three spots on the thorax, as described by him. All taken by me 

 had the double spot, but in many it was confluent. 



I found the beetles to be very sluggish, none being observed moving 

 about or feeding. Although living in communities, but one beetle was 

 generally found on a leaf, and they appeared to prefer the leaves situated 

 near the head of the plant. Along with the beetles I found a solitary 

 larva, of which I took the following description : Body depressed, 

 oblong oval. Length almost half an inch. General color dark olive 

 green. Head black. Throax dull greenish yellow, lightest in front. Abdo- 

 men dark olive green, with three short yellow stripes on dorsal surface, 

 the central stripe commencing nearest the thorax, thus, "' ■ Tail 

 bifurcate, yellowish green at base, prongs black. Lateral surface with a 

 row of ten simple spines, the first short, black, the next three longer, 

 black at base, central portion white, tip black, remaining spines short, 

 black. Under surface pale olive green, terminal segments black. Legs 

 pale olive green, feet black. When undisturbed this larva kept its tail 

 curved over its back, but frequently altered the angle at which it was in- 

 clined. When disturbed it jerked the tail forward and downward until 

 it nearly touched the body. Both body and tail were wet with semifluid 

 excreta, and when thus covered, the prongs of the tail and the lateral 



