COLEOPTEllA. lOT 



in length. These beetles may be found on the leaves of the 

 apple-tree, and very abundantly on those of the shad-bush 

 {Anielanchier oralis), and choke-berry [Pyrus arbutifulia), dur- 

 ing the latter part of May and the beginning of June. 



In the middle of June, another kind of Hispa may be found 

 pairing and laying eggs on the leaves of the locust-tree. The 

 grubs appear during the month of July, and are transformed 

 to beetles in August. They measure nearly one quarter of an 

 inch in length, are of a tawny yellow color, with a black longi- 

 tudinal line on the middle of the back, partly on one and partly 

 on the other wing-cover, the inner edges of which meet together 

 and form what is called the suture; whence this species was 

 named Hispa suturalis by Fabricius ; the head, antennoe, body 

 beneath, and legs are black ; and the wing-covers are not so 

 square behind as in the rosy Hispa. 



The tortoise-beetles, as they are familiarly called from their 

 shape, are leaf-eating insects, belonging to the family Cassi- 

 DAD-E. This name, derived from a word signifying a helmet, 

 is applied to them because the fore part of the semicircular 

 thorax generally projects over the head like the front of a 

 helmet. In these beetles the body is broad oval or rounded, 

 flat beneath, and slightly convex above. The antennas are 

 short, slightly thickened at the end, and inserted close together 

 on the crown of the head. The latter is small, and concealed 

 under, or deeply sunk into, the thorax. The legs are very 

 short, and hardly seen from above. These insects are often 

 gayly colored or spotted, which increases their resemblance to 

 a tortoise; they creep slowly, and fly by day. Their larvae 

 and pupae resemble those of the following species in most 

 respects. 



Cassida aurichalcea, so named by Fabricius on account of 

 the brilliant brassy or golden lustre it assumes, is found during 

 most of the summer months on the leaves of the bitter-sweet 

 {Solarium dulcamara), and in great abundance on various kinds 

 of Convolvulus, such as our large-flowered Convolvulus sepium, 

 the morning glory, and the sweet potato-vine. The leaves of 

 these plants are eaten both by the beetles and their young. 

 The former begin to appear during the months of May and 



