175 



Several A^arieties of blueberries and huckleberries ( Vaccinium spp. 

 and Gaylussacia resinosa) Avere found to liave been attacked by some 

 insect, but the nature of the work in the buds or ripeniug' berries 

 plaiuly shoAved that it Avas not this Anthouomus. I believe it im- 

 possible for this species to breed in these plants. The adult beetles 

 also frequent a number of flowers besides those already mentioned, 

 amon<>- them the Flowering Dogwood {Gornus florida) in early May, and 

 Wild Bergamot or 'Horse-mint {Monarda fistulosa) lute in tJuue. The 

 beetles were SAvarmiug on the last-mentioned plant at this date, but 

 after the first week of July they are seldom met AAdth, and it is pre- 

 sumed that they begin to hibernate at this time, as they have not been 

 traced further. 



In x^ast years Dr. Kiley found this species in Missouri in July on 

 Grape blossoms and Yucca flowers, and Dr. Hamilton has taken it 

 abimdantly on Tilia and Ehus in Pennsylvania {Can, Ent., YiA. xxiv, 

 p. 41). 



Differences due to Food-plants. — A marked difference is manifest be- 

 tween the immature stages found on Strawberry and Blackberry, and 

 still further A^ariations might be found to exist in individuals living 

 npon other plants. No differences haA^e been observed among the very 

 young larv^ie that could be attributed to difference in food-habit, bnt 

 in more mature larv^ai and in the pupae a marked dissimilarity in color 

 is apparent. Specimens taken from strawberry buds are of a decided 

 yellow, Avhile those from blackberry are nearly white. 



In the adult beetles bred this year those Avhich first matured average 

 larger, and lighter and brighter colored, and are more distinctly 

 marked on the elytra than such as were bred later.* The differences 

 in adult individuals due to different food-i)lants have already been 

 mentioned. 



The Species doing the Damage. — It will be noticed by comparing the 

 heading of the present article Avith that used by Dr. Riley in the 1885 

 Re])ort that the species is now referred to as Anthouomus signatus^ 

 Avhile in the earlier article it A\^as called musculus. This apparent dis- 

 crepancy cannot better be accounted for than by quoting from the 

 original article (p. 280) : '' * * * This strawberry pest was referred 

 by Mr. Glover to Anthonomus signatus Say, and a number of our own 

 specimens agree so closely with Say's original description of ^. signatus 

 as well as with Dr. LeConte's description, that there can hardly be any 

 doubt about the correctness of the determination. A number of other 

 specimens, however, which were sent to Dr. LeConte were returned to 

 us with the determination '-A. mnsciilns Say,' and trusting to Di-. 

 LeConte's authority Ave have, in our correspondence, referred to this 

 strawberry pest as A. musculus Say." 



' Note. — Specimens collected at Ithaca, N. Y., years ago are nearly a third larger 

 and much brighter colored than any observed this year about AVashington. 



9073— No. 3 3 



