Colonuio Beetle. 87 



pmlens are troubletl with thc.su aiiiiimls is given in the Ri'iKjrt on 

 p. 115. 



The small l)eelles also sent weix' liathyscia icolhtstoiii, an abundant 

 potato iHJ-st in East Kent {vide p. S4). 



Notes on the Colorado Beetle in England. 



The appeai-ance of the Colonuio Beetle in Kngland in 19(il was 

 not snrprisini,'. Ships iVoni American poit.s may very easily hring 

 over sjHJcimens that have tlown on l^oard whilst in harlj<jur on the 

 other side. A single ])regnant female would be enouf,'h to start a 

 cohiny. It is probably in this way that the coh)ny established in 

 1001 in Tilbiuy Docks originated. It has been surmised that the iKjst 

 may have come over in American p<^»tatoes ; that is saircely likely, for 

 the only American potatoes that are sent to this country are seed 

 potatoes, which are pariicularly clean. At present theixi is no infesta- 

 tion of the Colonuio I'.uetle in Europe, so that it can only have l>een 

 derived fi-om an American source. Two previous outbreaks have 

 been kno\\Ti in Euroi)e, both in (iennany. 



The outbreak of this l»eetle in llMlI was i*ej)oited to the r)oaril of 

 Agiicullure during August. The beetles were then very vigorou.s, 

 eggs and larviu of all sixes being found. 



The colony was evidently well e.stablished, and looked as if it had 

 been in existence .some little time. It was situated inside Till)ury 

 Dock on some iwtatoes on the workmen's allotments; they extended 

 for about tifiy yards, and had materially defoliated the potatoes in 

 some places. 



The adults did not i-eadily .seem to take wing, but crawled about 

 with great enei"gy. Later on in the year, those taken away fitr 

 breeding pui-poses, however, showed a strong disiHjsilion to fly; they 

 were constantly flying with great force in the bre'cding-cage in which 

 I kept them, ami l»eauliful ol)jc'cts they are, Uk), when their brilliant 

 n»se-c< 'loure'd under wings are exiMinded. l»y keeping s»)me sp»ecimens 

 in warmth, I succeeded in getting thn»ugh a complete life-cycle by 

 Oclol)er, but tho.se kept out-(»f-d<Kjrs did not deixjsit any eggs after I 

 brought them away from Till)ury. 



The land where' this l»eetle ha»l taken up its alnxle wa.s cleareil of 

 all p<ttato haulm, and the haulm burnt with panitVm at night on the 

 •• uul under the suin'rintendence of the lioanl of Agriculture- 

 oihcials ; the gixjund was also .soake«l with i>aniflin, jdougheil ten 

 inches deep, and then dre.'we*! with giis lime at the rate of GO tons 

 \n:x acre*. Potatoes were* planted on and amuud ]mii1s of the area to 



