124 ' T'^E O'j'iAWA Naturalist. [August 



at certain times upon the base of the horns of cattle, and it 

 seriously injures the cattle through the irritation caused by its 

 persistent biting and blood-sucking. Turning to the Coleoptcra 

 we find an insect which is more generally known and persecuted 

 than even the Cabbage Rutterfl}-. This is the Colorado Potato- 

 beetle, Dorvphora decemliiicata Sa>', a species from the wild and 

 woolly west, which has fluttered its pink wings in heavy flight 

 from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic surges. So great 

 has been its voracity that its yellow coat with black stripes is as 

 much detested as if it covered a convict with two instead of six 

 legs. About the }ear 1820 the celebrated entomologist Say, 

 otherwise an estimable gentleman, had the misfortune to dis- 

 cover this marauder and introduce him to the public. In the 

 solitude of his native wilds he subsisted in scant}- numbers upon 

 a wild Solanum, but when he formed the acquaintance of the 

 pioneer farmers some years later, he made himself quite at home 

 in the potato-field and increased amazingl};, until his offspring 

 were forced to journey abroad in search of fresh fields to con- 

 quer. A few days ago there might still be seen in the rooms of 

 the Ottawa Literary and Scientific Society the fir~t potato-bugs 

 received in Ottawa, which were then exhibited as interesting 

 ■curiosities at one of the soirees of the old Nat. Hist. 

 Societ}- of Ottawa. The}- were in good spirits, although dead, 

 but living examples soon followed them, whose descendants 

 remain with us unto this da}-, in spite of unfriendl}- treatment 

 and a diet of Paris green. 



Some }-ears ago Mr. Scrim found that in his rose-houses 

 the plants were suffering greatl}- from the attacks of some beetle, 

 and upon investigation we found that the species was Aramigiis 

 Fiilleri Horn, a snout-beetle commonly known as Fuller'^ Rose- 

 beetle. The larxa; were in great abundance feeding upon the 

 rootlets and man}- of the valuable plants were destro}'ed. 

 Energetic and effectual measures were taken to destroy them 

 and, so far as known, there has been no subsequent infestation. 

 Nor docs the beetle appear to be established at any point in 



