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period of Scelodonta to the end of the transformations of Paria being 
about two months, while the active larval life of the various species 
extends over about seven months. This is a matter of importance 
with respect to remedial measures. 
INJURIES TO VEGETATION. 
By adults.—Colaspis brunnea is reported by Prof. Riley to feed as 
an adult at first upon the strawberry leaves, and later upon the 
leaves of grapes, both tame and wild. It has also been found by 
Mr. Webster feeding upon the blossoms of clover and willow; and 
from its frequent occurrence in collections variously distributed, it 
is probably not closely limited to any small variety of food plants. 
To cultivated vegetation, however, its only appreciable injuries are 
those done in the strawberry field and the vineyard. 
Paria is likewise a somewhat general feeder, certainly devour- 
ing strawberry leaves often to an extent to make it a serious pest, 
but also, occasionally at least, eating the leaves of the raspberry, 
a fact noticed by me this summer. It also deubtless eats those of the 
juniper, upon which it is very commonly found, and of the wild 
erab apple. By Dr. Fitch this beetle was reported as abundant 
upon the leaves of cinquefoil or Potentilla. Considering its general 
distribution throughout the period of its activity in the adult stage, 
it is quite likely that it feeds upon a very considerable variety of 
plants. 
Respecting the food habits of Scelodonta, our information is less 
complete. Hxperiments made at the Laboratory with beetles bred 
from the root-worm, as reported on a previous page, show, at least, 
that it will feed freely upon the strawberry in confinement; and its 
occurrence in strawberry fields at other times than its breeding sea- 
son makes it likely that it voluntarily resorts to them for food. It 
also seems to have a special preference for the evening primrose, 
Gnothera biennis, upon which it is said to be most frequently found 
by collectors. In July of this year it occurred occasionally near straw- 
berry fields, upon heads of millet. 
The above memoranda respecting the food habits of these various 
Species, may be generalized in a word by saying that while their 
first preference seems to be for the foliage of the strawberry, they 
are not by any means limited to this plant, but can probably find 
food in almost any situation where foliage and bloom are in suitable 
condition. 
By larve.—The destructiveness of these larve to the roots and 
crowns of strawberries, has already been sufficiently asserted; and 
we have not a particle of information to the effect that in this 
stage these insects are capable of living upon any other plants 
whatever. Still the difficulty of proving a negative is proverbial, 
and no search for them in other situations has been made suflicient 
to warrant us in saying that the larve develop only in the straw- 
berry plant. 
Here the mischief done by them is certainly greater than that to 
be attributed to the better known crown-borer, the beetles being not 
only more numerous, at least in Southern Illinois, but also making 
apparently a more destructive attack upon the plant. 
