52 
HISTORY AND LITERATURE. 
Entomoscelis adonidis was given its specific name by Pallas in 1771 
(Reisen durch versch. Proy. des Russ. Reiches, etc., Vols. I, 2, p. 468), 
the description appearing under the genus Chrysomela. It has also 
been placed in the genus Pheedon (Kirby, Fauna Bor. Am.) and was 
described by Fabricius as ¢rilineata (Gen. Ins. Mant., 1777, p. 219). 
Kiinstler, Képpen, Weise, Témdésvary, Lesne, and other European 
writers have furnished descriptions of the larva. (See Rupertsberger 
Biol. Lit. Kafer Europas von 1880 an. ete., 1894, p. 259.) 
Rape (Brassica napus), Cochlearia draba, butter-bur (Petasites peta- 
sites [officinalis], and Adonis autumnalis have been recorded as food 
plants by European authors, as also thistle and barley (Korn). 
Of recent publications the reader is referred to Erichson’s Naturge- 
schichte der Insecten Deutchlands (Vol. VI, p. 310-3812) and Lesne in 
the Annales de la Société Entomologiques de France for 1890 (Vol. VI, 
pp. 177-179, figs. 1-9), for technical descriptions and bibliography, 
as also to Dr. Fletcher’s works, which will presently be mentioned. 
M. Lesne’s article is accompanied by an illustration of the larva. 
What appears to be the first instance of attack by the red turnip 
beetle on cultivated plants in America was recorded by Dr. Fletcher 
in his report as entomologist and botanist for the year 1887 (1888, p. 
19). He states briefly that he collected this species on turnips at 
Regina, Northwest Territory, in August, 1885. The beetles were 
noticed to be sluggish in their habits, like the Colorado potato beetle, 
and it was said that they did not occur in sufficient numbers to do 
much injury, although they were sufficiently abundant to show that 
with the increase in cultivation of its food plant the species might in 
time develop into a troublesome pest. 
In his report for 1891 (1892, p. 202), the same writer gives addi- 
tional notes in regard to the occurrence of this species in Northwest 
Territory and Manitoba. Extracts from correspondence are given 
from six different localities showing attack on turnip, cabbage, and rad- 
ish, it being noticed that rutabaga was very little troubled, provided 
other more preferred crucifers were available. The choice food 
plant appeared to be rough-leaved varieties of turnip in preference 
to smooth-leaved varieties and some other plants. 
In his report for the following year (pp. 152-155) Dr. Fletcher 
gave a still longer account of this species, with extracts from corre- 
spondence from several sources and detailed descriptions of the differ- 
ent stages with references to European publications. 
In 1893, according to the same writer’s report for that year (1894, 
p. 17), the species again attracted attention, it being noticed that the 
beetles made their first appearance according to Mr. Thomas Copland, 
Saskatoon, Northwest Territory, June 17, and that the beetles fed 
