OF THE FAEM AND GAEDEKT. 37 



knowledge of their origin, but only proved it in 1865 ; 

 since that time I have made yearly verifications of this 

 fact. 



"Every year the cabbage plants and turnips in this 

 region receive great damage from these larvae, and often 

 when we have dry weather, in the latter part of May and 

 early in Jane, the cabbage plants are ruined. A large 

 proportion of them are killed outright in June, and the 

 balance rendered scarcely fit for planting; but when the 

 ground is wet to the surface all the time by frequent 

 rains, the young plant is able to defend itself much more 

 effectually, by throwing out roots at the surface of the 

 ground, when the main or center root is devoured by the 

 larva; but in dry weather these surface roots find no 

 nourishment and the plant must perish. 



"This year I saw these beetles most numerous in early 

 spring, but have often seen them in August and Sep- 

 tember, so abundant on cabbages, that the leaves were 

 eaten full of holes, and all speckled from their presence, 

 hundreds often being on a leaf; and at this time the 

 entire turnip crop is sometimes destroyed by them, and 

 seldom a year passes without their doing great injury. 

 * * * As the Cucumber-beetle raises its young on the 

 roots of the G-ourd Family exclusively, I am led to believe 

 that the Striped Turnip-beetle raises its young always on 

 the roots of the Mustard Family." — [Dr. Henry Shimer, 

 in "American Naturalist," December, 1868.] 



THE HARLEQUIN CABBAGE-BUG. 

 (Strachia histrionica, Hahn.) 



Cabbage-growers in the North are apt to think, that 

 the plant which they cultivate is about as badly infested 

 by insects as it is possible for any crop to be, without be- 

 ing utterly exterminated. No sooner are the young cab- 



I 



