94 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO GARDEN AND ORCHARD CROPS. 



"on willow," from central Missouri. There is in the same series a 

 specimen from Mr. P. Pedersen, collected at Huntingdon Valley. Pa., on 

 peach, and a series also taken by Mr. W. H. Ashmead at Utica, Miss., in 

 August, with the note that the beetles, together with two other species 

 of Chrysomelidse, "gnaw little irregular holes through the outer cover- 

 ing of the blossoms, and frequently gnaw into the epidermis of the bolls, 

 thus exposing them to the weather and causing them to drop." (Insect 

 Life, vol. vn, p. 247.) 



The species mentioned by Walsh in volume i of the American Ento- 

 mologist (p. 12) under the name of u Colaspis, n. sp.?," described as " a 

 roundish leaf-beetle, about one-eighth inch long, generally of a steel- 

 blue color, but occasionally verging upon brassy brown," and which was 

 beaten from the plum at Alton, 111., June 19, will now, I think, be con- 

 sidered to be not puncticollis, but the true tristis. 



The name " plum leaf-beetle " is proposed for this species to distinguish 

 it from punctioollis, the rose leaf-beetle. 



From puncticollis this species is to be distinguished by its much shorter, 

 oval form, simple punctation of the thorax, and the absence of a post- 

 umbonal costa. The prevailing color of beetles taken in Virginia and 

 farther north is shining dark metallic blue, with the legs and antennae 

 yellow or castaneous. The same colors are represented in individuals 

 from the Southern States, with the addition of a number of variations 

 of the dorsal surface, which include metallic green, bronze, purplish 

 and very dark brown. 



Dr. Horn credits this species with a distribution "from the Middle 

 States to Kansas, southward to ^sTorth Carolina." In the National 

 Museum collection and that of the writer are specimens from Fitch- 

 burg, Mass.; Detroit, Grand Lodge, Mich.; Washington, D. C; Mar- 

 shall Hall, Eiverside, Md.; Colonial Beach, Kosslyn (June 26), Penning- 

 ton Gap, Va.; Fort Pendleton, W. Va. ; Pound Knob, Eetreat, K. C; 

 central Missouri; Huntingdon Valley, Pa.; Shreveport, La.; Cypress 

 Mills, Dallas, Columbus, Tex. (May 18 to July 5), La Veta, Colo, and 

 Arizona. It will be seen that it. inhabits alike the Upper and Lower 

 Austral life zones. 



Undoubtedly the larvre live, like other Eumolpini, upon roots, and 

 it is probable that they may be found upon the rootlets of plum and 

 other fruit trees. The beetles, it was noticed, have a habit of concealing 

 themselves in the folds of leaves. 



During July of 1897 many beetles were kept confined with leaves of 

 peach, upon which they fed freely; but no eggs were deposited, and 

 nothing whatever was positively learned of the early life economy of 

 the species. 



In 1898 the same negative experience was had with a lot of beetles 

 until July 16, when three of them — the only ones left — were isolated, 

 with the result that a mass of 36 eggs was obtained, laid side by side in 

 the fold of a leaf and in irregular rows, in the same manner as observed 

 with certain other Eumolpini when in continement. 



