NOTES ON THE CUCUMBER BEETLES. 71 
observed feeding on onions on the farm of a Mr. Bass at Lyford, 
Tex. In some instances the adult was observed some distance 
toward the apex and on the inside of the leaf. A hole was made in 
the middle portion of the leaf just large enough for the insect to 
enter. In this way it conceals itself and feeds quietly from the inner 
side of the onion leaf. 
This species, with the others here considered, belongs to what 
Horn has classified as Series A of the genus. Thus classified they 
are related to the common twelve-spotted cucumber beetle (D. 12- 
punctata Oliv.). The characters by which they are separated from 
Series B and C, which also include injurious forms, are as follows: 
The elytra or wing-covers are irregularly, not closely punctate; 
the surface is without impressed stria? or sulci (channels) ; the tibiae 
or shanks have a distinct carina or ridge extending the entire length 
of the outer edge. In this series halteata falls into a second group in 
which the second and third joints of the antennae are small, together 
rarely longer than the fourth, usually shorter. 
The beetle, illustrated by figure 21, c, is greenish yellow in well- 
preserved specimens, with red head, black metathorax, and elytra 
ornamented with three transverse green bands. Sometimes these 
bands have a bluish tint and frequently also are almost entirely 
lacking, the species showing great variation in this regard. The 
length is from one-fifth to one-fourth of an inch (5-6 mm.). 
The distribution accorded by Horn is from Texas southward 
through Mexico to Colombia, South America, but that it can occa- 
sionally extend its range or is accidentally carried to other regions 
is proved by a specimen which the writer saw when it was collected 
at Rosslyn, Va. 
THE WESTERN TWELVE-SPOTTED CUCUMBER BEETLE. 
(Diabrotica soror Lee.) 
EECENT INJURY. 
The records of the Bureau of Entomology show considerable 
injury by the western twelve-spotted cucumber beetle (Diabrotica 
soror Lee.) in recent years, especially in 1907 and 1908. December 
11, 1906, Mr. Frederick Maskew wrote that of the insects collected 
from the foliage of growing beets in and near Oxnard, Cal., this 
species was the most plentiful. It could be seen in myriads, copu- 
lating freely at that time. Injury sometimes attributed to wire- 
worms was, he believed — judging from the description of the damage, 
its suddenness, and its short duration — probably the work of the 
larva of this species. 
During 1907 complaint was received, March 3, from Mr. O. W. R. 
Treadway, Lodi, Cal., of injuries to melon, cucumber, squash, beans, 
66513°— Bull. 82—12 6 
