160 Psyche [August 
nine were males and the remaining 43 females, the preponderance 
being still greater; of the 236 specimens obtained from hosts col- 
lected in nature, 77 were males and 159 females; the preponderance 
is much less than in the other class, being but as two is to one, and 
we are inclined to believe it to be the true condition. 

THE FOOD OF CALLIGRAPHA BIGSBYANA, A CHRYS- 
OMELID BEETLE. 
By Rosert W. HeGner, 
Ann Arbor, Mich. 
All of the adult specimens and larve of Calligrapha bigsbyana 
secured for me, or that I myself have collected, have been found 
upon the long-leafed willow, Salix longifolia, and so far as I have 
been able to ascertain, they do not occur in nature upon any other 
species of plant. It was discovered several years ago that both 
adults and larve thrive equally well in the laboratory when fed 
upon leaves of Saliz amygdaloides (Hegner, 1908).1 The following 
experiment was undertaken to learn if Salix longifolia is preferred. 
Larve that had been fed in the laboratory on Salix amygdaloides 
pupated on July 2, and the adults emerged on July 14. On July 15 
two males and two females were placed in a stender dish containing 
three leaves each of Salia longifolia and S. amygdaloides. The 
beetles crawled over the bottom, sides and top of the dish as well 
as over the leaves, and if they had preference for either sort of 
leaves they were given ample opportunity to show it. The leaves of 
S. amygdaloides were attacked as quickly as were those of S. longi- 
folia, and as much of the former was eaten as of the latter. The 
experiment was continued for a month, fresh leaves of each species 
of willow being supplied to the beetles every day, but in no instance 
was a preference for either sort observed. 
Beetles that are kept in stender dishes usually lay their eggs upon 
the leaves, but sometimes they fasten them to the sides or top of the 
dish. The two females used for this experiment chose one kind of 
leaf as often as the other upon which to lay their eggs. Why these 
beetles are found only on S. longifolia in nature, though they show 
no preference for it in the laboratory, is a question still unsolved. 


1 Observations on the Breeding Habits of three Chrysomelid Beetles, Calli- 
grapha bigsbyana, C, multipunctata, and C. lunata. Psyche, Vol. 15, pp. 21-24. 
