206 DISEASES OF THE COTTON PLANT. 
observed solitary individuals sucking the sap under very 
suspicious circumstances, where no previous wound had 
been made by the worm. They can do but little harm, 
however, to the crop. 
This beetle is rather more than half an inch in length ; 
of an ovoid form ; greenish, with somewhat of a metallic 
lustre ; across the wing-cases are several whitish spots and 
short lines ; the tail is obtuse, hairy, and protrudes beyond 
the wing-cases ; the legs are rather spiny, of a dark color 
and metallic lustre. 
The Indian Cetonia. — (Cetonia Inda.) 
I have observed another beetle very abundant in the 
blooms, and sometimes in the open bolls of the cotton, in 
Florida, in October, which apparently did no injury. This 
beetle is three-fifths of an inch in length, and of a brown 
color, spotted and marbled with a darker bro.wn and black. 
It flies with a loud humming sound, and is apparently 
sluggish in its habits when not on the wing. 
INSECTS FOUND ON ROTTED BOLLS. 
Much has been said about the rotted bolls of cotton, 
the cause of which has been attributed to insects ; and it 
has been alleged that, if these bolls were well examined, 
several of the insects causing the disease would always be 
found inside. It is true, many small insects are found in 
such rotted bolls, but they have invariably been previously 
cracked or split open by disease, or bored into by the boll- 
worm. The fact is, the insects found in such places 
frequent them merely for the sake of the sap which exudes 
from the wounds, or for the fimgoid growth that generally 
flourishes in such situations. It is very often the case that 
