14 Journal of Entomology and Zooloji:y 



beetles (PI. I, Fig. 2) come from their winter quarters, about the 

 middle of April or earlier depending on the spring weather condi- 

 tions, and commence feeding on the tender small leaves of the 

 expanding buds. The beetles possess a very brilliant lustre and 

 when approached manifest a saltatorial habit, and may leap for a 

 considerable distance. The insect passes the winter in the adult 

 stage and during that time may be found concealed in convenient 

 places. The writer has taken numerous individuals from beneath 

 the moss of the scrub oak, which grows abundantly along the creeks 

 in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. The first individuals were 

 taken on April 11, 1913, feeding on a species of wild rose, Rosa 

 uiikataua Presl. near Corvallis, Oregon. The adults were at the 

 time resting in the sun on the dried fruits of the rose and also on 

 the moss which covered the oaks. In 1915, the first beetles were 

 out on March 19 or somewhat earlier. Sometimes the March 

 weather is too severe so that the beetles do not appear until later, 

 and the inclement weather frequently puts a stop to the activity of 

 the beetles and retards o\iposition. 



After emerging from their hibernating quarters, the beetles jump 

 or fly to the nearest rose bush and soon begin to satisfy their appe- 

 tite after the long winter's fast. At this time the tender bursting 

 rose buds seem to be the favorite food, and the beetles engorge 

 themselves with bites from the prospective crop of leaves, then 

 locked up in the buds. The beetles seem to be most active during 

 the warmer sunshiny portions of the day, when they may be seen 

 jumping and flying about the rose bushes. When touched or jarred, 

 they at once drop quickly to the ground, where they feign death for 

 a short time, later returning to the foliage. Their shining bronze 

 color renders it easy to discover and watch them at their destructive 

 work. They begin gnawing an unsightly hole into either the side or 

 top of the bursting leaf bud, often boring into the bud so far as 

 to be almost hidden from view. It usually takes the beetles a few 

 days to satisfy their \ igorous spring appetites; then they turn their 

 attention to the propagation of their kind. The later emerging 

 adults feed voraciously on the foliage (PI. I, F^ig. 5) eating out 

 irregular places in the lea\es. 



