igO ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, '04 



surface of the leaf as if actually creasing with the beak. (This could not 

 be determined because of the movements of the leaf in the wind. It does, 

 however, bite the crease after formed. Analogue : pinching a piece of 

 paper after folding.) Two diagonal creases are made, one on each side ; 

 another short, transverse, deeper one is made at the edge of the leaf on 

 one side near the base. 



After the leaf is creased, and the faces are approximate, the slender tip 

 is folded over against the faces, and the fold or joint twisted. Then, by 

 turning in one end of the section obliquely, tucking in the while, the sec- 

 tion is nicely and neatly rolled into the nidus, the base perfect, and the 

 slender tip peeking from the apical end. The tip is afterward tucked in 

 carefully, some time being given to the process. 



(b) Oviposition, 



Oviposition then takes place : 



(i) in the rolled tip before tucked in, the more probable, or 



(2) in the rolled tip after tucked in. 

 Finally, the beetle comes to the small petiole, or portion of the vein 

 connecting the section with the main leaf, slight enough already as a sup- 

 port for the nidus. This is cut in such a manner that the case will fall in 

 a short time from natural causes. In one case the beetle returned after 

 a short while, and wrapping one of its cephalic and one of its intermediate 

 legs around the petiole, snapped the connection, the nidus rolling to the 

 ground. An egg was found concealed within the twisted tip. 



2. Second method of construction and oviposition. Q. nigrum. 

 Q. alba. 



June I — nigrum. 



(a) Construction of nidus. 



9 simply folded the section of leaf face to face, the midrib forming the 

 hinge. DifTers from the first method in that the two (2) faces were not 

 approximate, but flat together, the case being made by rolling up the 

 leaf section after it has been folded flatly in halves. 



This species of oak has no tapering apexes, and thus no projecting end 

 in which to lay the egg. 



(b) Oviposition. 



After it has rolled up a small portion of the section, in a crevice formed 

 by the folds the egg is laid. The section is then rolled completely up, 

 enveloping the egg within its folds. Analogue : rolling up a strip of car- 

 pet and placing a tack on it after a portion has been rolled, and then con- 

 tinuing the process. ) 



June 23 — alba. 



(a) Construction of nidus. 

 The method given in foregoing (June i, nigrum) seems to have been 

 carried out in at least a majority of cases coming under observation. 



