REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 



175 



About the same time, I received more specimens of this insect from the same 

 place from Mr. Geo. L. Smith : — 



" June 17. — I mail to your address to-day a packet containing a number of insects 

 which I discovered to-day eating my squash and pumpkin vines. Some of the 

 vines they had almost destroyed. When disturbed, they drop to the ground and 

 hide under leaves or earth. They are the first I have seen, and they have not been 

 working. I think, more than a couple of days. Let me know what they are and 

 give me what information you can." 



When received these larvsB were nearly full grown, and when placed in a breed- 

 ing jar, and provided with leaves of lamb's quarters and beet-root, fed freely upon 

 them until ready to pupate. They fed at night and kept out of sight by day. The 

 last date when they were seen feeding was 12th June, and on 24th the first fully dev- 

 eloped beetle appeared. The pupae were white and were found in little cells about 3 

 inches beneath the surface of the ground. 



The larvae are entirely black, shining, from J tof of an inch in length, rounded 

 above, flattened beneath, \ inch wide and tapering to each end. The body is divided 

 distinctly at the segments like a woodlouse or " sowbug" (Oniscus). 



The beetle is dull black, flattened, having 

 a small prominence on each wing case towards 

 the end, and with the thorax covered with 

 fuscous hairs. 



It is in habits and appearance very much 

 like the European Beet Carrion Beetle \Silpha 

 opaca, L.), which also occurs in North Ame- 

 rica, and like that species, probably has the 

 dual habit, both in the larval and perfect 

 states, of feeding sometimes on carrion as 

 well as on vegetable maiter. I am indebted 

 to Dr. George H. Horn for the identification 

 of the imago. 

 These two species are distinguished as follows : — 



Form elongate oval (as in trituberculatd) opaca. 



Form oval (as in ramosa) bituberosa. 



Of the latter Dr. Horn remarks: "It is a much broader species and in form 

 more nearly resembles incequalis." In opaca, the middle costa of elytron is given as 

 extending nearly to apical margin, while in the other species it does not attain the 

 apical margin. 



Curtis's figure of the Beet Carrion Beetle (Fig. 10) kindly lent by Messrs. 

 Blackie & Son, of Glasgow, at Miss Ormerod's request, gives so good an idea of the 

 different stages, that Nos. 1, 2, 4 and 5 might almost answer for those of S. bituberosa. 

 Remedies. — Should this insect develop into a pest of Chenopodiaceous plants 

 such as beet-root, mangels and spinach, it will be necessary to protect the plants 

 during the first part of June until the larvae have attained their full growth, by 

 dusting them with Paris green and some dusty diluent such as flour, land plaster, 

 crashes (1 part to 50), or in the case of spinach it maybe necessary to plant a more 

 attractive food-plant near by as a bait, to be afterwards destroyed with the infest- 

 ing insects. For this purpose Monolepis or lamb's quarters should be tried. In the 

 case of young pumpkins or squashes, as the season when the larvae attain full growth 

 is so early, these plants could be easily protected by keeping the hills covered with 

 cheese cloth or paper after dusting the plants with the poison mixture above men- 

 tioned. It is not likely that the mature beetles will attack plants. 



Fig. 10.— The Beet Carrion Beetle. 



FRUITS. 



The crop of large fruits this year has not been remarkable for excellence. In 

 Ontario the November bulletin says : — "The August bulletin did not speak cheer- 

 fully regarding the prospective apple crop, and reports to hand are confirmatory. 

 The Codling moth has done much injury and so have the scab and drought, hence a 



