A strange thing regarding the feeding habits of this species, 

 which has been noted, is that tlie adults are often found in abundance 

 in the soil at the bases of trees and weeds upon which they do not 

 feed, such as coffee or young citrus trees, or beneath tlie wild beren- 

 gena {Solanum torvum), while on the otlier hand tiiey are seldom 

 found at the bases of certain trees the foliage of which they are very 

 fond of, such as banana and coconut trees. This is not due to a 

 deliberate choice of the beetles as to the kind of roots among which 

 to deposit their eggs. l)ut is explained l)y tlie fact that the beetles, 

 before retiring to the soil for the day after feeding, take Hight and 

 alight upon small trees or weeds, or upon any upright object afford- 

 ing them good foot purchase, down which they crawl to the soil and 

 enter it. Their holes are thus often found around the bases of posts 

 and dead weeds. Banana trees are too smooth to offer good foot 

 purchase, hence are not settled upon; and coconut palms are pro- 

 vided with a heavy abutment of closely interwoven roots at the base 

 that prevent the beetles from reaching the ground from them. 



Among trees and plants that are much fed upon by adults of I'hijl- 

 lophaga citri, but are shunned by tliis species, may be mentioned 

 orange, grape-fruit. Acalypha, Grevillea. guava. Lantann. .Micouia, 

 Clidemia, Triumfetta and Urena. 



Fl.KillT, AND .\tTH.\("I'J()N TO Ll(illT. 



The adults of this ^lay-beetle begin coming foi-th from the soil 

 very soon after dusk, and befni'e actual dai'kuess. As obsei'vc^d in 

 a, large outdoor rearing cage during the month of Se])tember, the 

 f'ight ma.y be said to begin at 7 :()•") I*. M. and to last approximately 

 three cjuarters of an hour. 



The following observations were made on an evening of Sep1e;.i- 

 bci' first: The first beetles appeai'ed abov(^ ground and took wing at 

 ~ ■^)'^ ['. M., and they conlinued to inei'ease in nunihei- until 7:2(f. Ilieii 

 r( niained liea\y in Hight until 7 :-"^"). .\ lew heilles were still Hying 

 when ()l)ser\ations ceaseil at 1 ■.^)i) W .M. 



The adidts are occasionally :it1i-ae1e>l to street lights, but only 

 rare!\- ar'e iiioi-e than thi'ee or four found arouiul a light at one time. 

 (>ii oni\' one occasion has the wiiler ohsei'\-ed an exception t<i this 

 rule. < In .\pril ]~) of tlie |)resen1 yeai-. around a strong arc liu'lit 

 (.11 the ((tnihrd at .Martin I'ena, near IJio IMedras, o\-ei' two hundi'ed 

 adults of this spt^cics wei'c ohserxcd on the paveiiKMit. as late as nnd- 

 niuiit. Th(- probable cause of their aluiudauce was the close |)rnxiiiiiiy 

 o'' a luunbei' of large laurel trees ( Fliiis iiilida ). upon w hidi the beetles 

 had perhaps l)een feeding before the turning on of the street lamps. 



