MISCELLANEOUS INSECTS. m5 



Fig. 374. — Eleode>i quadrkoUU — color, black. Fig. 374. 



7th. Early in July, 1888, I received from 

 J. \\. Minturn, of Madera, Fresno County, 

 specimens of a black beetle (Fig. 874) — the 

 Eleodea quadrkollix of Leconte — about three 

 fourths of an incli in length, reported to be 

 feeding upon the foliage of grapevines. As 

 this species is considered harmless,! doubted 

 that the damage to grapevines was done by 

 it, and wrote, asking that full investigation be made, to learn 

 if the damage was not done by some other species of insect, 

 and received the following answer, dated July 18th : '' T have 

 received your letter, and herewith return answer. As to those 

 beetles eating the foliage of the vines, it is simply solved 

 beyond any doubt, as far as I am concerned ; and it is more 

 than probable that a majority of men would be quite satisfied 

 on this point, had they been up the greater part of ten nights 

 and seen on each vine that they came to from two to a dozen 

 of these beetles, besides thousands of them on the ground 

 over an area of one hundred acres. If further proof is required, 

 I think the destruction of thirty-five acres within the above 

 named time (there being no other insects, or rabbits, or 

 squirrels to be found) would have the tendency of convincing 

 any person. They have also appeared in some alfalfa fields, 

 and I am informed by a gentleman lately returned from the 

 Tejon Pass, that there they are in such numljers that they 

 have completely devoured ever}^ green thing. Those that 

 passed over my vineyard were traveling from east to west. 



" P. S. The gentleman above referred to tells me that the 

 Mexicans over there say these beetles precede a very heavy 

 winter, and that they have been seen in the same numbers 

 many times before." 



In reply to further inquiries, the folloAving letter was received, 

 dated July 27th : 



" The beetles, as nearly as I can remember, first came about 

 the 5th of July ; within three days they had damaged some 

 ten acres, and were evidently rapidly on the increase at this 

 time. About the 8th or 9th inst. I discovered them at night. 

 Until that time I had been at a loss to know what was eating 



