DESCRIPTION. 



21 



cell is supported by these larger spines and its body is not in touch 

 with the moist walls of the cell. As these large and strongly chiti- 

 nized spines do not occur in either the larval or the adult form of the 

 insects, it is probable that 

 their main function is to sup- 

 port the pupa in the cell. 



THE ADULT OR BEETLE. 



(PI. I, figs. 1-2; text figs. 10, 11.) 



The original description of 

 the beetle as made by Walsh 

 is given below: 



Fidia viticida, new species. 

 Chestnut rufous, punctured and 

 densely covered with short grayish 

 white prostrate hairs, so as to appear 

 hoary. Head rather closely punc- 

 tured, with a very fine longitudinal 

 stria on the vertex. Clypeus and 

 mandibles glabrous and black, the 

 clypeus with a subterminal trans- 

 verse row of punctures, armed with 

 long golden hairs, the mandibles 

 minutely punctured on their basal 

 half. Palpi and antennae honey- 

 yellow verging on rufous, the antennae 

 f as long as the body, with joint 4 

 fully ^ longer than joint 3. Thorax 

 finely and confluently punctured, 

 about as long as wide, rather wider 

 behind than before, the sides in a 

 convex circular arc of not quite 60°, 

 the males with the thorax rather 

 longer and laterally less strongly curved than the females. Elytra punctato-striate, 

 the striae subobsolete, the punctures approximate, and rather large but not deep, the 

 interstices flat and with close-set fine shallow punctures. Legs with the anterior tibiae 

 oi the male suddenly crooked | of the way to their tip; anterior tibiae of the female as 

 straight as the others. Length $ .24-.27 inch; 9 .24-.28 inch. 



The ovipositor of the female (fig. 11, d, e) consists of a more or less 

 solid terminal portion and a membranous proximal part. Ordinarily 

 it remains completely withdrawn within the abdominal cavity, where 

 the terminal part lies w^ithin the membrane, which is folded into three 

 parts. Meso-ventrally the membrane is supported by a slender chi- 

 tinous rod (fig. 11, e). In the terminal portion are a pair of chitinous 

 rods. Fully extended, the ovipositor is three times the length of the 

 abdomen. 



Fig. 11.— The grape root-worm: Structural parts of the 

 adult or beetle— a, Front view of head, showing biting 

 mouth parts; 6, lower view of labium and maxillae; 

 c, antenna or "feeler; ' d, terminal portion of the 

 ovipositor; e, ovipositor with membranous portion 

 extended; /, front leg of male beetle; g, front leg of 

 female beetle; h, claws of tarsus. All parts greatly 

 enlarged. (Original.) 



