104: 



IXJUKIOUS II^SECTS 



posited singly npon the leaves, to wliich they are fastened 

 by some adliesiye substance. They are of irregular angu- 

 lar form; flat, and somewhat narrower at one end than 

 the other; ridged above and at the sides, but smooth and 

 obovate below. They are usually furnished with si)ine- 

 like appendages, which, however, are sometimes entirely 

 lacking. Those of C. auriclialcea (fig. 69) are 0.04 inch 

 long, and of a dull dirty- white color. 



When full grown the larvae fasten the last two or three 

 joints of the body to the underside of a leaf, by means of 

 a sticky secretion, and in about two 

 days change to pupae. The pupa is also 

 flat, with usually four or five broad but 

 thin and transparent serrated leaf -like 

 appendages on each side of the abdo- 

 men, and the prothorax, which is great- 

 ly dilated and covers the head, is fur- 

 nished around the edge with smaller 

 barbed spines. The broad leaf-like 

 spines at the edges of the body are bent 

 under while the transformation is being 

 effected, but are soon afterwards stretch- 

 ed stiffly out with a forward slant. The 

 pupa loses the pronged tail, but as the old larval skin is 

 left adhering to the terminal segments the prong of dung 

 still protects it in most cases. The legs and antennae are 

 not free in this, as in the pnpge of most other beetles, but 

 are soldered together as in the chrysalis of a butterfly, and 

 yet it has the power of raising itself up perpendicularly 

 upon the tail end by which it is fastened. The pupa state 

 lasts about a week. 



Having thus spoken in general terms of this anomalous 

 grouj^ of beetles, we shall now refer more particularly to 

 a few of the sjoecies. Most of those mentioned below in- 

 fest Sweet-potato both in the larva and perfect beetle 

 states. They gnaw irregular holes, and when sufficiently 



Fig. 69— EGG OF TOR 

 TOISE-BEETI.E, 

 MAGNIFIED. 



