POLYPHYLLA VARIOLOSA. 



33 



Kg. 13. 



Fig. 14. 



Phyllophaga plosicollis (Fig. 13) of Knocli, or the hairy- 

 necked leaf-eater, is a small chafer, of an 

 ochre-yellow color, with a very hairy tho- 

 rax. It is often thrown out of the ground 

 by the spade, early in the spring ; but it 

 does not voluntarily come forth till the 

 middle of May. It measures half an inch 

 in length. 



Hentz's Mehloniha variolosa'^ (Fig. 14), 

 or scarred Melolontha, differs essentially 

 from the foregoing beetles m the structure 

 of its antennae, the knob of which consists 

 of seven narrow, strap-shaped ochre-yellow 

 leaves, which are excessively long in the 

 males. This fine insect is of a light brown 

 color, with irregular whitish blotches, like 

 scars, on the thorax and wing-covers. It 

 measures nine tenths of an inch, or more, 

 in length. It occurs abundantly, in the month of July, at 

 Martha's Vineyard, and in some other places near the coast ; 

 but is rare in other parts of Massachusetts. 



The foregoing Melolonthians are found in gardens, nur- 

 series, and orchards, where they are more or less injurious 

 to the , fruit-trees, in proportion to their numbers in different 

 seasons. They also devour the leaves of various forest-trees, 

 such as the elm, maple, and oak. 



Omaloplia^ vespertina (Plate II. Fig. 14) of Gyllenhal, and 

 sericea of Illiger, attack the leaves of the sweetbrier, or sweet- 

 leaved rose, on which they may be found in profasion in the 

 evening, about the last of June. They somewhat resemble 

 the May-beetles in form, but are proportionally shorter and 



[* Melolontha variolosa. This insect belongs to the genus Polyphylla, propossfl 

 by Dr. Hai-ris, and now adopted by all entomologists. — Lec] 



[5 OmalopUa. The species here mentioned, with all the other allied American 

 species, belong rather to Serica of M'Leay, than to true OmalopUa, which is thus 

 far confined to the other continent. — Lec] 

 5 



