10 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



half of May in this latitude, they fly into the trees and eat irreg- 

 ular holes in the foliage (fig. 2). After feeding some time, and 

 pairing, the orange yellow eggs are deposited on the under sur- 

 face of the leaves in clusters of about 5-26. The duration of the 

 egg stage in July averages about five days, in cooler weather it 

 may be longer. Feeding and oviposition continue for several 

 weeks in the spring, probably from four to six. During this time 

 the beetles consume a large amount of foliage, which is evidinitly 

 necessary for the development of the eggs, as clusters are laid 

 every day or two until the full complement is discharged, which 

 is in the neighborhood of from 431 to 623. As there seems to 

 have been no attempt, at least in this country, to determine the 

 prolificacy of this insect, the following record may be of interest. 

 On May 31st, two large females were taken and isolated with 

 plenty of food. On June 1st, one had deposited four clusters, 

 comprising 42 eggs; on the 3d, a cluster of 18; on the 6th, clus- 

 ters of 21 and 26 eggs; on the 8th, clusters of 26 and 4; on the 

 9th, a cluster of 27; on the 10th, clusters of 3 and 31; on the 

 13th, clusters of 3, 7, 8, 11, 15 and 19; on the 15th, clusters of 14 

 and 27; on the 16th, a cluster of 30; on the 17th, a cluster of 32; 

 on the 19th, clusters of 10 and 26; on the 20th, a cluster of 36; on 

 the 21st, clusters of 6 and 25; on the 22d, clusters of 4 and 31; on 

 the 23d, clusters of 1, 2, 7, 11 and 13; on the 27th, clusters of 13, 

 21 and 32; on the 28th, clusters of 4 and 17, making a total of 

 623. 



The other had deposited on June 1st, two clusters containing 

 a total of 29 eggs ; on the 3d, clusters of 9, 9 and 14 ; on the 6th, 

 another of 18; on the 8th, clusters of 15 and 20; on the 10th, a 

 cluster of 20; on the 11th, a cluster of 23; on the 13th, clusters 

 of 11 and 13 ; on the 14th, a cluster of 31 ; on the 15th, a cluster 

 of 16 and 5 scattering; on the 16th, a cluster of 28; on the 18th, 

 clusters of 26 and 30; on the 20th, clusters of 2 and 6; on the 

 21st, clusters of 3 and 18; on the 22d, clusters of 2 and 20; on the 

 23d,. a cluster of 27; on the 27th, clusters of 5, 7, 9 and 15, mak- 

 ing a total of 431. 



The continued oviposition and the prolificacy of the beetles is 

 strikingly shown in the above record. They were abroad in 



