238 



THE AMEEICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



most common of those found on the Sweet- 

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

 distinguished from all the others here described 

 by being usually black, with the shoulders 

 black to the extreme edge of the transpai'ent 

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

 is frequently more or less speckled or mottled 

 with 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, 6), 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 -leg'ged Tortoise-heetle. 



[Gassida nitjripcn, Oliv.) 

 [Pig 180.] 



Colors— (a and 6) white and black; (t) brown. 



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 pnttingon agoldeu hue, but 



[Fig. 181.] isnot so brilliant as (7. aurichal- 



cea, from which species it is at 



once distinguished by its larger 



iim^K^^m ®'^^' ^"""^ by i*"* black legs and 



IJlll HMW BwiL three large conspicuous black 

 lllHiHiF/ ^P^t® ^^ ^'^'''^ wing-cover. The 

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

 straw-color with the spines, 



Coloib— Golden-yol- ... , ,. , 



low and black, wliich are long, tipped with 

 black ; and besides a dusky shade along each 

 side of the back, it has two dusky spots 

 immediately behind the head, and below these 



*This specie.s has verj- probably been described under dif- 

 ferent names. It is C. criiciata,'Fahv.; C. signifer,llerhst, 

 and from larva; found on tlie same batch of plants, and 

 differing in no respect whatever, we have bred specimens 

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



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 FUNGUS. 



C Uredo ruborum. ) 



The current number of the American 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 

 ruborum, Link. It is not uufrequent on some 

 species of the blackberry {Bubus of the botan- 

 ists), especially the dewberry, or Bubus 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 soou become a cosmopolite 

 among the blackberries. I have seldom found 

 it on the common blackberry {Bubus villosus), 

 except in cultivation, and never on the rasp- 

 berry (B. occidentalis — idmus, etc.) It makes 

 its appearance on the under surface of the young 

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

 tation, isaler, 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. I then selected some choice native black- 

 berry plants, when in fruit, and transplanted 

 them into my grounds. The ensuing summer, 

 a single plant exhibited the Uredo. The second 



