258 Fiftieth Report on the State Museum 



from the eggs. Some recently hatched larv'te were found on a tree July 

 30th, and were successfully reared to the pupa — one assuming that form 

 August nth and others a few days later. Young larvae taken on a tree 

 September 9th, pupated October 7th. The eggs and larvae of this insect 

 on a leaf are represented in figure i of plate VI 11, — in the lower left- 

 hand corner an egg cluster is shown enlarged. 



The duration of the egg stage in July averaged about 5 days, that of 

 the larva 15 to 20 days, and of the pupa 7 days. In the autumn, as 

 might be expected, these periods are considerably prolonged by the colder 

 weather. In September, the pupa stage was observed to last 12 days, 

 and in October twice as long. 



The duration of the beetle's existence is also of interest since it has a 

 bearing on the probability of the occurrence of a third brood. A record 

 of the mortality of those confined in a cage July 6th (see above) was 

 kept, which is as follows : 7 dead the i6th; 4 the i8th; 5 the 21st; 2 the 

 23rd; 15 the 25th. Most of those that died the 23rd or before were 

 badly affected with a fungus, SporotricJmin ejitomophiluvi Peck, and many 

 of them may have been killed by it. The death of the others may have 

 been hastened by the unnatural conditions of confinement. As but few ot 

 the beetles died before most of the eggs had been laid, it is probable that 

 they live but a short time after having provided for the perpetuity of the 

 species. 



Although eggs and larvae were not obtained from individuals known to 

 belong to the second brood, yet the rearing to the pupa and imago stages, 

 of those collected abroad as cited above, show conclusively that there 

 was ample time for three generations during the activity of the insect. 

 The beetles were seen feeding the latter part of August, during September, 

 and even into October, and eggs, or evidences of recent oviposition, 

 existed throughout the time. The limited life of the beetles after ovi- 

 position observed in July, renders it most probable that the same was 

 true later in the season. From the preceding, there is hardly room for 

 doubt that there was a genuine third brood of the insect in Albany and 

 Troy the present year. 



Food-Habits of Larvae and Beetles. 

 Some of the young larvae obtained from eggs in July were fed with the 

 greenest of the old leaves that could be obtained. Everyone of several 

 lots died after a few days, and then it seemed as if they were unable to 

 develop upon the old growth. August nth, some half and some nearly 

 full grown larvae were placed on old leaves. They at once began feeding. 



