188 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE FLU'M. 



it makes its way, and feeds upon the contents until full 

 grown. When nearly mature, the larva, by a wise instinct, 

 prepares a way for the escape of the future beetle by cutting 

 a round hole through the now hard stone. The larva is of a 

 milk-white color, with a large, horny, yellowish-white head, 

 and jaws tipped with brown. It enters the chrysalis state 

 within the plum-stone, and, when mature, the beetle passes 

 through the hole bored by the larva, makes its way through 

 the flesh, and escapes. 



While the normal habit of the plum curculio is to feed on 

 the flesh outside the plum-stone, which latter it only occasion- 

 ally penetrates, the plum-gouger lives and matures within. 

 Both sexes of the plum-gouger bore cylindrical holes in the 

 fruit for food ; and where the insect abounds, the growing fruit 

 will be found covered witli these punctures, from which more 

 or less gum exudes, and the fruit becomes knotty and worth- 

 less, but does not readily drop, as do those which have been 

 injured by the plum curculio. The insect is single-brooded, 

 and requires a longer time to mature than the plum curculio ; 

 eggs deposited in June do not produce beetles until the end 

 of August or early in September. It appears to be unknown 

 in the Eastern States, but is very generally distributed through- 

 out the valley of the Mississippi. It is much less common, 

 and does far less injury, than the plum curculio, although 

 occasionally it is found in almost equal abundance. It is 

 said to pass the winter in the beetle state. 



Remedies, — This beetle may be collected by jarring the 

 trees in the manner described for the plum curculio, although 

 it does not drop quite so readily ; it also takes wing quickly, 

 and hence is not so easilv secured. 



Xo. 96.— -The Saddled Leaf-hopper. 



Bythoscopus clitellarius Say. 



This insect is occasionally injurious to the plum, by punc- 

 turing the stems of-the fruit and sucking the fluids which 



