56 



jackets about the fences and roads, or sailing with pink wings through the air, will long 

 be familiar objects. Fig. 69 shows this insect in it several stages — a, the eggs ; 5, 6, b, 

 the larvse at different periods of gi'owth ; c, the pupa ; d, d, the beetle natural size r. 

 e, a wing-cover much enlarged. 



Fiff. 69, 



C. cKvicoUis, Kirby (Labidomera trimaciilata, Fab.), is a handsome beetle, about the 

 size of the preceding species, found upon the common milk-weed during the autumn. It 

 is of an oval, rounded-convex shape, and of a deep bluish-green or greenish-black colour, 

 the feet being purplish. The elyti'a are orange, with a broad bluish band across the 

 back and a large bluish spot near the tip. The markings vary greatly in outline, and 

 the band is often interrupted so as to form two irregular spots on each wing-cover. 



C» multiguttata, Stal., {^Scalaris, Lee), is a somewhat smaller beetle, varying in size, 

 found throughout the season on various trees, as the elm, the linden, and especially the 

 Avillows and alders. Its eggs are laid on the underside of the leaves. The larvae are 

 short, stout grubs, about half an inch long, whitish, with a black line along the top of 

 the rounded back, and a row of black spots on each side of the body. The beetle is 

 greenish, with yellowish legs and antennre ; the elytra are yellowish with many green 

 dots varying in shape, and a broad band runs down the back where they meet, and gives 

 off" three or four branches on each side, forming as it were steps, whence the name Scalaris 

 from a Latin %\'ord meaning a ladder. There are said to be two broods, the first in April, 

 May, and June, snd the second in September and October. A very beautiful variety of 

 this species (C labi/rinthica, Lee.) is sometimes found, which differs so much in coloura- 

 tion as to seem a distinct species ; it also appears to be slightly larger. The body of the 

 beetle is of a deep black, with a slight bluish tinge, as are also the legs and antennae. 

 The elytra have a jagged, irregular border of white, and there are two rows of four white 

 spots upon the l)aGk. The margin and spots vary, however, in different specimens, and 

 are more or less joined together. I captured several specimens in 1878, but did not meet 

 with it again until I took one last summer. 



C. 2)hiladelphica, Linn., is a smaller bettle of veiy similar appearance to C. mtdti- 

 guttata, which feeds upon pine leaves in May and June. 



C. elegans, Oliv., is, as its name implies, an elegant little bettle one-fourth of an inch 

 long, which appears very ,early '^in spring, is abundant for a couple of months, and is 

 occasionally taken late in the autumn. It is a black beetle with white or yellowish 

 strijies upon the wing-covers. Although so common I have as yet been unable to deter- 

 mine upon what it feeds. 



Gastropliysa polygoni, Linn., is a small bettle, one-fifth of an inch long ; very 

 abundant all summer, and remarkable for the manner in which the abdomen of the 

 gravid female is distended with eggs. The head is blue-black, the thorax and legs are 

 rufous, and the elytra are a brilliant and metallic blue. 



