238 



THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



most common of those found ou the Sweet- 

 potato iu the latitude of St. Louis, is at once 

 distinguislied from all the others here described 

 by being usually black, with the shoulders 

 black to the extreme edge of the transparent 

 wing-covers. It is a very variable species, and 

 is frequently more or less speckled or mottled 

 Willi gold, while more rarely it has a uniform 

 golden appearance.* 



The larva, which is represented enlarged and 

 with the dung removed at Figure 179, a, is of a 

 uniform green color, with a bluish shade along 

 the back, which shade disappears however 

 whenever the insect has fasted for a few hours. 

 It carries its dung in irregular broad masses, 

 often branching- as in the species next to be de- 

 scribed. The pupa (Fig. 179, b), is also of a 

 uniform green color, with a conspicuous black 

 ring around the base of the first abdominal pair 

 of spiracles. Before changing to pupa and pre- 

 vious to each moult, this larva is in the habit of 

 removing the dung from its fork. 



The Black-legged Tortoise-beetle. 



(Canshlii niijripes, Oliv.) 

 [FiK 180] 



Ciilors— (II amli-) while imd black; (i) blown 



This species, which is likewise found on the 

 Sweet-potato, is a little the largest of those we 

 have mentioned. The beetle (Fig. 181) has the 

 power, when alive, of putting on agolden hue, but 

 [Fig 181.] is not so brilliant as C. ai/rJc/iaZ- 

 {, from which species it is at 

 once distinguished by its larger 

 ^^^^ size, and by its black legs and 

 >HHK|Ui^ tlirce large conspicuous black 

 i I ^HIkI / *P°'® '^^ ''^^'h wing-cover. The 

 larva (Fig. 180, 6). is of a pale 

 straw-color with the spines, 

 low and black which are long, tipped with 

 black ; and besides a dusky shade along each 

 ~ide of the back, it has two dusky spots 

 .1 mediately behind the head, and below these 



■'rhii^ rtpicics ha* very probablv been described under dif- 

 1.1 int uames. It is C. cruciata, Fabr.; C. signifer, Herbst, 

 and linm 'arva! found on the same batch of plants, and 

 differing in no respect whatever, we have bred i 

 which were determined by Le Conte as C. trabeata, l.ec. 



iluh-yL- 



specimens 



last, two larger crescent marks of the same 

 color. The dung is spread in a characteristic 

 manner, extending laterally in long shreds or 

 ramifications. (See Fig. 180, a). The pupa 

 (Fig. 180, c), is dark brown, variegated with 

 paler brown as in the figure, while the spines 

 around the edges are transparent and white. 



THE BLACKBERRY FUNUUS. 



( Hi-edo ruhortiin. ) 



The current number of the Amkrioan Ento- 

 mologist has just brought me the first notice 

 which I have seen of the Blackberry fungus at- 

 tacking the cultivated blackberry. The inquiry 

 is now fairly started, and I hope that those who 

 possess the knowledge and experience will tes- 

 tify what they know in relation to the subject. 



This fungus has been long and familiarly 

 known to mycologists by the name of Uredo 

 rubormn, Link. It is not unfrequent ou some 

 species of the blackberry (Bubus of the botan- 

 ists), especially the dewberry, or Ruhus cana- 

 densis. The specific name, ruborum, was de- 

 rived from the generic name, rubus, of the 

 plants on which the fungus is found. As we 

 become better acquainted with this enemy of 

 good fruit, we shall find more cause for grati- 

 tude thau surprise, that the cultivated black- 

 berry has so long escaped its pestiferous in- 

 fluence. 



As just stated, the native dewberry seems to 

 be the home of this Uredo; but the indication 

 now is, that it may soon become a cosmopolite 

 among the blackberi-ies. I have seldom found 

 it on the common blackberry {Rubus rillosus), 

 except iu cultivation, and never on the rasp- 

 berry {R. occidentalis — idceus, etc.) It makes 

 its appearance on the under surface of the young 

 leaves, in the form of a reddish-yellow incrus- 

 tation, paler, at first, and becoming more red 

 from age. It consists of small, flattened tuber- 

 cles, densely crowded together. As these de- 

 velop they become more prominent, and soon 

 burst, discharging a yellow dust, which is the 

 proper seed, or spores, of the plant. The spores 

 are of microscopic dimensions — too small for 

 the unassisted eye to distinguish ; and, conse- 

 quently, may be dispersed to a great distance 

 by the winds. 



My experience in the cultivation of this de- 

 structive fungus commenced some sixteen years 

 ago. 1 then selected some choice native black- 

 berry plants, when iu fruit, and transplanted 

 them into my grounds. The ensuing summer, 

 a single plant exhibited the Uredo. The second 



