542 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Hylotoma scapularis Klug. 



Yellowish, black-spotted, caterpillarlike larvae nearly ^^4 inch long, feed on the 

 foliage of American elms in August. 



This species has been studied by Mr J. G. Jack of Jamaica Plain, and 

 his description of the larvae and account of their habits follows : 



The full orrown larvae have a pretty general resemblance to those of 

 H. pectoralis Leach and are about 18 mm long. Head light orange 

 yellow, body somewhat flattish and light yellowish green in color. There 

 are six distinct rows of small closely adjoining black spots on the upper por- 

 tion of the body extending from the head to the anal segment. On each 

 of the t^eshy projections on the sides of the segments, except the last, there 

 is an oblong dark spot ; but these spots above the two posterior pair of 

 true leo-s appear as two large somewhat triangular black blotches. Above 

 the anal segment there is a large oval shaped black spot. The legs are 

 black on the outer side, and the prolegs are marked by a dark brown blotch 

 on the outer side. The black legs and black blotch on the anal segment are 

 the chief marks which distinguish this larva from that ofH. pectoralis 

 in which the legs and anal segment are yellowish. The cocoons are of a 

 dirty white or light brown color and average about 12 mm in length. They 

 are composed of two walls, the inner being closely, and the outer loosely 

 spun. 



The eggs are deposited along the margins of the leaves of the common 

 American elm (U Imus americana) on which the larvae feed. Young 

 larvae were found early in August and those observed attained full growth 

 about the end of the month. Two males and many females were raised 

 from these about the first of JuK' following. 



Alder leaf beetle 

 Clirysoiucla scalaris Lee. 

 A brilliant, bottle-green, oval beetle about yi inch long, with silvery white wing cov- 

 ers, the latter ornamented with several conspicuous green spots and with a median jagged 

 stripe of the same color down the back, feeds on the leaves of elm, linden, willow and 

 alder throughout the season. 



This, one of the prettiest of our native beetles, sometimes becomes 

 excessively abundant, and Dr Hagen records an instance in 1884, when this 

 insect was very abundant on elms in Cambridge, and in 1881 it was so 



