25 



The most striking feature of the larva is, perhaps, the anal segment, 

 which tapers to a conspicuous prolonged process, surmounted at the 

 apex with a crown of short spines and four long stiff spinose hairs. 

 This segment is shown enlarged, dorsal view, at f, while the lateral 

 view (e) shows also the anal proleg. The surface of the body is mod- 

 erately hairy, the hairs of varying length. 



The length of the larva when full grown is about 3 mm. , the width 

 about one-eighth of that. 



A somewhat more technical description of the larva is given by Mr. 

 John Marten (Forbes's 18th Ills. Kept., 1894, p. 22). 



Thejpv/pa. — The pupa also resembles those of Epitrix and Diabrotica, 

 being of the same general appearance and having the anal segment 

 ending in a pair of spines, described by Marten as brown, rather long, 

 tapering, and very thick at the base. Length, 3. 5 to 4 mm. 



RECENT UNRECORDED OCCURRENCE OF THE SPECIES. 



This flea-beetle was first observed on beans during the first two 

 weeks of August, 1897, at Marshall Hall and Seat Pleasant, Md. , eat- 

 ing the epidermis from the upper sides of the leaves, and was noticed 

 in less numbers on bean leaves the following years. The first record 

 of serious damage to beans which can be found is that of F. M. Web- 

 ster (Insect Life, Vol. VI, p. 186), who states that it was very destruct- 

 ive to beans in Ohio in 1893, and that "large fields were seriously 

 damaged. " 



In 1898 the species was quite abundant upon its wild food plants, 

 and particularly noticeable by its occurrence on the pigweed, Ambrosia 

 artemisicefolia. That year at River View, Md., it occurred in such 

 abundance as to outnumber any other species of beetle that could be 

 obtained with a sweep net. 



June 30 Mr. F. J. Dickinson, Chesterton, Ind. , sent specimens, with 

 the report that the species was causing much alarm through the neigh- 

 boring country, and that the beetles appeared on a great variety of 

 plants, but seemed to be doing the most damage to the potato. 



July 5 the beetles were found at Colonial Beach, Va, , in numbers on 

 the cocklebur, Xanthium canadense, eating the leaves from the upper 

 surface, and in this locality at least preferring this plant as food to the 

 Ambrosia artemisicefolia, which grew in the immediate neighborhood. 



July 9 Mr. Dickinson wrote in response to inquiry that this species 

 was injurious to melons and other cucurbits, turnips and other crucif- 

 erous plants, eggplant, beans, tomato, and potato, the last crop being 

 the one that was most seriously damaged in that vicinity. 



In 1899, Mr. Edwin C. Post, Monroe, Mich., under date of June 23, 

 sent specimens, with the information that the species occurred in a 

 sugar-beet field, presumably in that vicinity, which had been practi- 

 cally destroyed by them. They were described as quite active, jump- 



