broods of slug-like yellow and black larvtB skeletonize the leaves in irregular spots 

 between the veins, working on both surfaces, but chiefly on the lower side, causing 

 the leaves to assume a dry brown appearance, to curl, and ultimately to fall. The 

 second crop of leaves sent out by the trees in the southern range of the insect m'eets 

 a like fate. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



The elm leaf-beetle is a well-known depredator in the Old World, particularly in 

 south Germany, Austria, and France. It was imported into this country, on the 

 authority of Glover, in 1837, and its earliest attacks were particularly severe about 

 Baltimore and in New Jersey. Its spread in this country has been comparatively 

 slow, and, while wherever it has appeared it has established itself very firmly and 

 now frequently occurs in enormous numbers, it is limited in its range, so far as 

 the records go, to the middle Atlantic seaboard, including the District of Columbia, 

 Maryland from "Washington eastward, Virginia in the immediate vicinity of Wash- 

 ton, Delaware, southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Long Island, the Hudson 

 Eiver valley, and southern Connecticut. On the authority of Prof. C. H. Fernald 

 it is not known to occur In Massachusetts, and Prof. Gerald McCarthy reports the 

 same for North Carolina. This range, as pointed oat by Mr. Howard, practically 

 conforms to the northern limit of the upper austral life zone, outside of which the 

 insect has not established itself as yet, so far as can be learned. 



NATURAL HISTORY AND HABITS. 



Characteristics of Different Stages. — The insect occurs on the trees iu three different 

 stages, and the fourth stage is passed on or under the surface of tlie ground at the 

 base of the tree; i. e., the egg, larva, and beetle on the tree, the pupa in the ground. 



The beetle is a little over a quarter of au inch long, of a general yellowish or yel- 

 lowish-brown color, with three somewhat indistinct brownish-black stripes on the 

 wings. It is shown natural size at o, and enlarged at A, in the figure. 



The eggs are placed on the lower sides of the leaves in vertical clusters of from 

 5 to 20 or more eggs, closely arranged in two or three irregular rows. They are 

 oblong-oval in shape, tapering to a rather obtuse point, orange yellow in color, aud 

 the exterior surface is covered with beautiful hexagonal reticulations. They are 

 shown natural size on the leaf at a, aud enlarged at e, with the reticulated surface 

 still more enlarged at /. 



The larva is elongate, reaching a length of about half an inch, and when newly- 

 hatched is nearly black. As it increases in size it becomes, with each shedding of 

 the skin, more distinctly marked with yellow, and when mature the yellow pre- 

 dominates, occurring as a broad dorsal stripe, and two lateral stripes. The larva is 

 represented natural size on the leaves, and somewhat enlarged at g, with portions 

 still more enlarged at h and i in the figure. 



The pupa is uniformly light orange yellow, oval in shape, strongly convex dor- 

 sally, and a little over a quarter of an inch in length. It is shown in the illustra- 

 tion at^', enlarged. 



The egg state lasts about a week, and the larva normally fifteen to twenty days, 

 aud the pupa six to ten days. 



Number of Broods and Dates of Appearance.— In the more southern range of this 

 insect, including Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and most of New Jersey, there are 

 two annual broods, with an occasional small third generation. Further north, 

 including northern New Jersey, Long Island, New York State, and Connecticut, 

 there is iu general but one well marked brood, with sometimes a supplemental or 

 partial second brood. 



Throughout the double-brooded area the beetles make their appearance in spring 

 about the middle of April, beginning to come out before the elms have put out their 

 leaves and continuing on the trees throuah Mav. perishine soon after eD-o-.lavinir is 



