192 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, '04 



The adults eat small, round holes from both surfaces of the leaf. They 

 are not easily disturbed, and do not readily "play 'possum," as do the 

 Curculios, but apparently have to be forced to do so. When they do, it 

 is not done half so well, nor is it so real nor as lengthy, as with the Cur- 

 culionidce. It is much more of a sham and requires no loss of patience 

 to the observer, for it is no sooner done than over with. 



The females apparently live for quite a period of time, and do all of the 

 work on the nidus excepting perhaps during the early part of their lives 

 as adults, when the males may occasionally condescend to help them. On 

 May i8th the two sexes were observed together, the male on the female's 

 back taking no part in the work. After that date the males began to dis- 

 appear ; none were observed taking actual part in the work. 



At times the females have much trouble in making the nidi, and many 

 abandoned ones have been found ; several cases have been found side- 

 by-side, probably deserted by the same individual. Most of the trouble 

 lies in the cutting out of the leaf section, in the selection of a wrong por- 

 tion of the leaf, and making the crescentic incision in the wrong place 

 before the mistake is discovered ; or, in other words, faulty instinct 

 comes into play. As many as three (3) nidi have been found on a single 

 leaf. 



(c) On period of oviposition ; May i8th-June 23d. 



The period of oviposition is quite long, covering perhaps six (6) weeks, 

 three in May and three in June ; the dates given are those recorded from 

 observation, the last one (June 23d) based on the fact that a female was 

 observed constructing a nidus, and hence more or less doubtful. I noted 

 on June 2d that they were still ovipositing, on June 4th that but a single 

 individual was seen, and that the period of oviposition was probably at 

 an end ; the next date (June 23d) records the fact just stated in regard to 

 female making egg-case, and on June 24th the last beetle was observed, 

 then thought to be the forerunner of an overlapping second brood, but 

 evidently a straggler. Hence, the period of oviposition extended prac- 

 tically to pune 4th, theoretically to June 23d. 



(d) On development ; larvce, nidi. 



June 2d — Eggs found in all cases examined ; no larvae. 



June 4th — Most of the nidi have fallen to the earth, and have begun to 

 decay. They are easily found lying amongst the grass, and were numer- 

 ous. Not a single larva found in ten (10) examined. Many of the nidi 

 were partly unrolled, due to moisture ; others fresh and newly fallen ; 

 majority old and brown. They hang to the tree for several days, per- 

 haps a guard against too much moisture. 



June 1 2th — Two larvae found in many cases examined ; eggs about to 

 hatch, abundant. The cases containing larvae were full of frass and other 

 evidences that they were feeding from interior portions. 



June 23d — Several cases examined this morning, finding indications of 

 the presence of larvae. At last a nearly full-grown larva was found in 



