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The primrose species (pubescens) was first noticed by us in Southern 

 Illinois, April 4, on the primrose along the borders of strawberry 

 fields, where it was found in copula at that date, and also on the 

 16th and l£th of the same month. Specimens transferred to breed- 

 ing cages at Normal were also seen copulating as late as May 13 

 and 20. 



Confined in the breeding cage, these beetles ate freely of the 

 leaves of the primrose, soon killing one of the plants exposed to them, 

 but refused to touch the strawberry, those plants placed with them on 

 the 19th April having been uninjured May 25. 



No eggs were found in our breeding cages, nor did any larvse 

 develop in the jars of earth containing the plants on which the 

 adults were feeding. The primrose species certainly hibernates as 

 an adult, laying its eggs in spring, the old imagos living at least 

 until midsummer; but the further life history is unknown. As its 

 occurrence in strawberry fields may sometimes needlessly alarm the 

 strawberry grower, the distinguishing characters of the species are 

 worthy of mention. 



In nehulosus (from the strawberry) the form is thicker, the thorax 

 more convex dorsally and less rugose at the sides, and the elytra much 

 more closely punctured. Counting from the sutures to the humeral 

 tuberosity there are seven or eight more or less distinct rows of 

 punctures in nehulosus, and about fifteen such rows in pubescens. 



