AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION'. 



203 



by the cats, were taken from them. These insects are water- 

 loving species and are attracted by moisture. Specimens sent by 

 one party were found in the cellar among potatoes. The writer 

 was much troubled by them in his cistern. The water got low and 

 the cistern was filled from the river. The water was not strained 

 and the larva? probably introduced that way. In a few days 

 the water began to smell and became very offensive. Sev- 

 eral of the beetles were taken at various times from the valves of 

 the pump. When water from streams is put in cisterns it should 

 be filtered, and it would be well to keep cisterns closed during 

 the time these beetles are on the wing. 



The name Dytiscus means a diver and is given on account of the 

 aquatic habits of the larvae of these insects. The beetles may be 

 known by their oval flattened form, brownish black color with a 

 dull glaucous or sea green tint. The first and second pairs of 

 legs are close together, the hind distant, set far back and used for 

 swimming. The species in question is over an inch and a half 

 long, black above with greenish reflections ; thorax margined with 

 yellow ; elytra (wing covers) bordered with yellow excepting in 

 front and near the hind margin bearing an oblique narrow yellow 

 band. 



The beetles, though larger, are related to the gyvating beetles 

 often seen in large flocks playing on the surface of water and 

 called lucky bugs by the boys. The larvae are aquatic and are the 

 terror of the ponds and streams, likened to "sharks among higher 

 animals. 



The Parallel Elaphidion. 



Elaphidion parallelum, Newm. 



(Ord. Coleoptera : Fam. Cerambycidse.) 



This comparatively rare insect was received from Mr. Burgess 

 of Monroe, in the larval form found boring into the twig of a plum 



tree. Though of rare occurrence it 

 is interesting enough to figure so it 

 may be recognized when seen. 



Fig. 10 a shows the larva, b a 



longitudinal section of the. stem 



exposing the chrysalis in place, k 



"^a cross section of the chrysalis 



showing the boring, r7, c, /, g and 



