112 
Ent. Soe. Ont. for 1882 [1883], p. 10), having been noticed at Oakville, 
Ontario, Canada, where it was damaging the leaves of grape. The 
beetles were described as being very abundant and destructive, eating 
the green tissue of leaves on the upper side, causing them to wither. 
After a lapse of five years this species was observed, together with 
S. blanda, attacking potato at Wea, Ind. (Webster, Rept. Dept. 
Agr., 1887, p. 151), and was again troublesome in Canada, this time 
as a pest in the shrubbery and on the seed beds of the botanical gar- 
den of the experimental farm at Ottawa (reported by Dr. James 
Fletcher, in his report as entomologist and botanist of the Dominion 
of Canada for 1889 [1890], pp. 87, 88). Young plants and low shrubs 
of a great many botanical orders were attacked, ravages being par- 
tic ularly noticeable upon some species of Altheea, “Hibisgae and 
Weigelia, as also upon young grape vines. Injury was all done by 
the perfect beetles, few plants appearing to come amiss to them. . 
In 1891 we received specimens, August 11, from 
Smiths & Powell Company, Syracuse, N. Y., with 
the information that the beetles were doing damage 
to pear by eating the soft leaves. A remedy was 
requested, as it was feared that, if the beetles were 
left undisturbed, that they would become a nuisance 
(Insect Life, Vol. IV, p. 185). 
The same year we Se chiet this insect as feeding 
i upon beet leaves at Lincoln, Nebr., and on the 
4 \ leaves of /Zibiscus militaris at Westpoint, Nebr., at 
Fig. 28.—Systena frentae which places the insect was observed by Mr. Law- 
ea enlarged rence Bruner in 1890 (Bul. 23 [old series], Div. 
. Ent., 1891, p. 15). 
The writer has been familiar with this species for a great many 
years, having first observed it at Ithaca, N. Y., in company with the 
commoner but less troublesome Systena hudsonias, on smartweed, 
pigweed (Chenopodium album), and other weeds in August and Sep- 
tember (Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., Vol. II, p. 266). 
In the late Dr. Lintner’s report as State entomologist of New York 
for 1892 (p. 348), he records the occurrence of this Chrysomelid in 
injurious numbers on the foliage of gooseberry at Geneva, N. Y., 
during the latter part of July and early August of that year. 
In 1893 this flea-beetle was again troublesome in Canada, and was 
mentioned by Dr. Fletcher in his report for that year (1894, p. 28). 
It attacked a great variety of plants, including potato, horse bean, 
many kinds of deciduous shrubs, and young erapevines: having been 
especially injurious to grape at Ottawa. Its attacks were worse on 
those varieties which belonged to the thin-leaved grapes derived from 
Vitis riparia, the greatest damage having been done to young seed- 
lings which were not trained on trellises and which had not been 
sprayed with fungicides. 
