28 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO VEGETATION. 



There is an undescribed kind of Phyllophaga^ or leaf-eater, 

 called, in my Catalogue of the Insects of Massachusetts,* 

 fraterna, because it is nearly akin to the qiiercina, in general 

 appearance. It differs from the latter, however, in being smaller, 

 and more slender; the punctures on its thorax and wing-covers 

 are not so distinct, and the three elevated lines on the latter 

 are hardly visible. It measures thirteen twentieths of an inch 

 in length. This beetle may be seen in the latter part of June 

 and the beginning of July. Its habits are similar to those of 

 the more abundant May-beetle or dor-bug. 



Another common Phyllophaga has been described by Knoch 

 and Say, under the name of hirticiila, meaning a little hairy. 

 It is of a bay-brown color, the punctures on the thorax are 

 larger and more distinct than in the quercina, and on each 

 wing-cover are three longitudinal rows of short yellowish hairs. 

 It measures about seven tenths of an inch in length. Its time 

 of appearance is in June and July. 



In some parts of Massachusetts the Phyllophaga Georgicana 

 of Gyllenhall, or Georgian leaf-eater, takes the place of the 

 quercina. It is extremely common, during May and June, in 

 Cambridge, where the other species is rarely seen. It is of a 

 bay-brown color, entirely covered on the upper side with very 

 short yellowish gray hairs, and measures seven tenths of an 

 inch, or more, in length. 



Phyllophaga pilosicollis of Knoch, or the hairy-necked leaf- 

 eater, is a small chafer, of an ochre-yeUow color, with a very 

 hairy thorax. It is often thrown out of the ground by the 

 spade, early in the spring ; but it does not voluntarily come 

 forth till the middle of May. It measures half an inch in length. 



Hentz's Melolontha variolosa^ or scarred Melolontha, differs 

 essentially from the foregoing beetles in the structure of its 

 antennae, the knob of which consists of seven narrow strap- 



* In order to save unnecessary repetitions, it may be -well to state, that the 

 Catalogue, above named, to which frequent reference will be made in the course 

 of this treatise, was drawn up by me, and was published in Professor Hitchcock's 

 Report on the Geology, Mineralogy, Botany, and Zoology of Massachusetts, and 

 that two editions of it appeared with the Report, the first in 1833, and the 

 second, with numerous additions, in 1835. 



