34 CEREAL AND FORAGE INSECTS. 



ited egg*. Of the several hundred eggs collected by this method. 

 however, only two or three hatched. On November 4 the writer, 

 while searching on the grounds of the Washington Monument, at 

 Washington, D. C, found an egg evidently belonging to this species, 

 which, however, failed to hatch. Since the investigation of clover 

 roots at various intervals during October and November failed to 

 reveal any larvae, it seems certain that the second or fall brood is 

 wanting in this locality. These observations fail to explain the 

 reason for the deposition of eggs in vials. However, during the last 

 week in November, while the writer was on an inspection trip 

 through New York and Pennsylvania, an opportunity was afforded 

 him for collecting a large number of beetles, all of which were ap- 

 parently in the hibernating stage. These, when taken to a warm 

 room, deposited eggs almost immediately. The facility with which 

 the eggs were deposited in vials may then be ac- 

 counted for by the fact that these females were 

 just ready to deposit eggs and only awaiting a 

 warm spring day to carry out this work; there- 

 fore, on being taken into a warm room the proper 

 degree of temperature was afforded and egg 

 deposition immediately followed. 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



THE ADULT. 

 Fig. 15. — The clover- 



nes Mspiduius) -. The adult (fig. 15) is a small, black, hard- 



Aduit. Greatly en- bodied beetle, from 3 to 5 mm. in length and 



from 1.25 to 2 mm. in breadth. It has a short 



head and a general, deeply punctured appearance on the surface of 



the head, thorax, and elytra. It was described by Fabricius (Pay- 



kull, 1800) as follows: 



[Translation.] 



Head black with fuscous scales. Beak short, concave. Antenna slightiy longer 

 than the head. Base rufous. Apex ashy. Eyes large, deep-set. Thorax longer 

 than broad, convex, almost cylindrical, black. Below obscure, ashy scales: 

 above deeply punctured fuscous scales. Ashy scales in the parallel longitudi- 

 nal lines. Middle one shortest. Scutellum less ashy. Elytra black. Scales 

 densely fuscous and less ashy. Not as wide as thorax but twice as long, con- 

 vex, pnnctate-striate, with series of erect, rigid white hairs between the 

 striations. Wings white, hyaline. Breast and abdomen black, with fuscous- 

 rufous scales. Feet rufous. Femora fuscous-ashy, unarmed. As broad as 

 Curculio hirsutus but not quite so long. 

 85 



