79 



in feeding. Early in the season, when the leaves are still tender, the 

 beetle eats small oblong holes in the leaves, but later in the season it 

 usually leaves the lower half intact and the upper portion tinel}" skele- 

 tonized. At an}^ rate, the damage done 1)}" the beetles, even when they 

 are ver}" numerous, is trifling when compared with that inflicted b}" the 

 larva. The beetle is a slow walker and apparentl}'^ dislikes to move 

 al)out without cogent reason, but if disturbed it takes wing rapidly 

 and is capable of sustained flight for long distances. During rainy 

 weather, at night time, and during the act of oviposition the beetle 

 is to be met with on the underside of the leaves. 



IlihenHitkm. — There can be no doubt that the perfect beetle alone 

 hibernates. It seeks winter quarters rather early in the season, some 

 time in September. During mild winter days a specimen may occa- 

 sionally be found luider accumulated leaves at or near the base of 

 locust trees, but even for an experienced entomologist it is not an easj 

 task to find them in their sheltered retreats. 



Mode of oviposition. — Dr. Harris's description of the eggs of Hispini 

 (Treatise, etc., Flint ed., p. 120) does not apply to this locust beetle, and 

 appears to have been made from dried cabinet specimens. The fact is 

 that in our species the eggs are not laid on the upper side of the leaf but 

 always on the underside, and, further, that they are not laid singly but 

 in masses, each composed of from three to five eggs, which are glued 

 together b}^ a sticky substance and partially covered with an excremen- 

 titious secretion. We succeeded in July in partially observing the act 

 of oviposition, which may be described as follows: One &gg was already 

 deposited, representing a somewhat flattened, short, oval object of 

 3^ellowish-pink color fastened to the leaf by its flat side. The female 

 beetle was quietly resting with the forepart of her body nuich erected 

 and the last abdominal joints coveringthe Qgg., while the tip of the elytra 

 touched the surface of the leaf beyond the egg. After a while the tip 

 of the abdomen was bent toward the egg and a yellowish-pink semifluid 

 matter was excreted; then an egg appeared at the genital opening, but 

 was several times retracted and again protruded, when finallv, with a 

 sudden efi'ort, the beetle moved its abdomen a little backward and 

 deposited the Q,gg so that with its end it rested upon the leaf and with 

 its greater portion over the first egg. Then the beetle rested for about 

 two minutes, when the same process was repeated. The act of oviposi- 

 tion itself takes only a fraction of a second. When the last &gg has been 

 laid the beetle makes a sudden movement forward, sweeping with the 

 tip of the abdomen the upper side of the Qgg mass and discharging at 

 the same time a large quantity of fluid fecal matter of dirt3^-yellow 

 color, which soon hardens and darkens. 



From this mode of oviposition the form of an egg mass can be readily 

 understood. Since the second and the following eggs each overlap 

 the preceding egg., but at the same time touch with one end the surface 



