POLYPHYLLA VARIOLOSA. 



33 



Fig. 14. 



Phyllophaga pilosicollis (Fig. 13) of Enoch, or the hairy- 

 necked leaf-eater, is a small chafer, of an rig 13 

 ochre-yellow color, with a very hairy tho- 

 rax. It is often thrown out of the ground 

 by the spade, early in the spring ; but it 

 does not voluntarily come forth till the 

 middle of May. It measures half an inch 

 in length. 



Hentz's Melolontha variolosa* (Fig. 14), 

 or scarred Melolontha, differs essentially 

 from the foregoing beetles in the structure 



O O 



of its antennae, the knob of which consists 



of seven narrow, strap-shaped ochre-yellow 



leaves, which are excessively long in the 



males. This fine insect is of a light brown 



color, with irregular whitish blotches, like 



scars, on the thorax and wing-covers. It 



measures nine tenths of an inch, or more, 



in length. It occurs abundantly, in the month of July, at 



Martha's Vineyard, and in some other places near the coast ; 



but is rare in other parts of Massachusetts. 



The foregoing Melolonthians are found in gardens, nur- 

 series, and orchards, where they are more or less injurious 

 to the fruit-trees, in proportion to their numbers in different 

 seasons. They also devour the leaves of various forest-trees, 

 such as the elm, maple, and oak. 



Omaloplia 5 vespertina (Plate II. Fig. 14) of Gyllenhal, and 

 sericea of Illiger, attack the leaves of the sweetbrier, or sweet- 



O 7 7 



leaved rose, on which they may be found in profusion in the 

 evening, about the last of June. They somewhat resemble 

 the May-beetles in form, but are proportionally shorter and 



[ 4 Melolontha variolosa. This insect belongs to the genus Polyphylla, proposed 

 by Dr. Harris, and now adopted by all entomologists. LEC.] 



[ 5 Omaloplia. The species here mentioned, with all the other allied American 

 species, belong rather to Serica of M'Leay, than to true Omaloplia, which is thus 

 far confined to the other continent. LEC.] 

 5 



