II 



mm. and of the body, on the anterior half, 2.5 mm. tapering to 

 about 0.6 mm. on the last abdominal segment. The body is of 

 a dirty yellowish color, the head a dark brown and the legs black. 

 A double row of dark brown spots, two on each segment, extends 

 along the upper surface of the abdomen. In a line with these is 

 a row of black tubercles on each side which, when the insect is 

 disturbed, emit drops of white milky fluid, of a strong pungent 

 odor, which may be drawn back when the threatened danger is 

 past. Two tubercles, nearly white with dark colored tips, are 

 conspicuous on the lateral margins of the first two abdominal seg- 

 ments. At the tip of the abdomen is a disc covered with a sticky 

 substance which is used both as an aid in crawling about and to 

 hold to the support when necessary. This is especially true with 

 the newly hatched larvae. Its chief office, however, appears to 

 be as a means of attaching the larvae to the leaf when about to 

 pupate and to hold the suspended pupa until the beetle emerges. 

 The larvae are mature in about two weeks. 



Habits of the larva. — The newly hatched larvae remain for a 

 few hours crawling about over the empty egg shells, but soon 

 settle down in the immediate vicinity and begin gnawing through 

 the epidermis to feed on the soft tissues beneath. They feed side 

 by side for three or four days, finally separating to feed independ- 

 ently on different parts of the leaf. As they grow older and 

 stronger they devour the entire leaf with the exception of the 

 midrib and larger veins. Plate III, fig. i. 



In several cases under observation the eggs had been placed on 

 old leaves and the young larvae, not finding tender food, migrated 

 to the tips of the shoots to feed on the tender leaves and bark 

 thus causing the same injury as the beetles. 



The larvae are full grown in from ten to fifteen days and, after 

 remaining comparatively inactive for a day or two, prepare for 

 pupation. Plate III, fig. 2, is from a photograph of a larva, 

 natural size, and enlarged. 



Pupation.— Vnpsition takes place above ground. When about 

 to pupate, the larva attaches itself to the leaf by means of the 

 sticky disc at the tip of the abdomen and allows its body to hang 

 down. The head is gradually bent forward and the legs drawn 

 up to the body. The transformation from the larva to the pupa 



