STKAWBEEKY-LEAF BEETLE. 125 



as the attack was new to me, I availed myself of the skilled assistance 

 of Mr. Oliver E. Jansou, F.E.S., of Perth Koad, London, N., in iden- 

 tification, in order that we might be absolutely certain of the species. 



The specimens were sent me on the 27th of July, by Mr. G. 

 Messem, from Hundred Acres, Wickham, Hants, with the observation 

 that they were insects which were destroying the Strawberry plants in 

 that neighbourhood. It was considered to be a new pest in the 

 locality, and any information as to how to destroy it was greatly 

 desired. 



So far as had been observed, the beetles were believed to lay their 

 eggs on the under side of the Strawberry leaves, from which presently 

 the grubs hatched out, followed in due time by a second brood of 

 beetles, but the progress of development had not been worked out 

 with precision. 



The following short note given by Dr. Ritzema Bos, conveys the 

 general life-history of the genus : — " The beetles and the larvae feed on 

 the leaves of the same plants ; the pupae are to be found sheltered in 

 cocoons in the ground." * 



In Rye's ' British Beetles ' (p. 212, edition of 1890), it is observed 

 of the GaleniccB : — " Their larvae, which are sluggish, rather elongate, 

 wrinkled, and with lateral tubercles, and an anal projection, serving as 

 an extra leg, live in company, and commit great ravages, often 

 stripping every leaf off the trees, &c., on which they feed." 



The injured Strawberry leaves sent clearly showed the great 

 mischief caused by the attack. These were perforated in some cases 

 with irregular shaped holes right through the leaves, and still more 

 injury was done by little patches of the outer skin of the leaves being 

 eaten away, leaving the veins, but quite destroying the attacked parts. 



The harm done (as shown by the specimens sent) was quite serious 

 enough to make it worth while to give attention to keeping the attack 

 under. So long as the fruit is on the plants, it does not seem possible 

 to use any measures to get rid of the pests on the leafage ; but so late 

 in the season as the 27th of July, in warm localities, this would probably 

 not be a difficulty. In such case picking off as much of the grub 

 infested leafage as was much injured would be a very desirable course. 

 Also strong dressings, as of " Fisher Hobb's " mixture (see Index), or 

 hellebore, which, in this case, might be used without fear of poisoning 

 eaters of the fruit (a difficulty occurring in careless use in connection 

 with green Gooseberries), would be likely to be very useful. Also, as 

 it is the habit of the grubs of the Galeruc(B to go down into the ground 

 to turn to chrysalids in cocoons, it could not fail to do good to treat 

 the surface soil beneath the Strawberry leafage in summer in such a 



• 'Tierische Schadlinge und Nutzlinge,' von Dr. J. Ritzema Bos, p. 363, 



