99 
T URNIP. 
Turnip “ Clock” (Turnip Mud-beetle), Helophorus rugosus, Oliv.; 
H. fennicus, Stephens. 
Helophorus rugosus. 
Beetle, flying, and in act of gnawing leaf; also magnified (after figure in Bye’s 
‘Brit. Beetles’). Turnip-leaf gnawed by H. rugosus, life-size and magnified. 
On June 25tli, 1889, Mr. John Milne, of Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, 
forwarded me specimens of the little brown beetle figured above (mag. 
at “4”), with the information that they were destructive to the Turnip 
crop in its early stages. These beetles proved to be of the species 
scientifically known as the Helophorus rugosus; but they do not appear 
to have any popular name, excepting that of “ Clocks,” which is applied 
to so many other beetles that it is no great distinction. Therefore, as 
a characteristic of this family of the Helophondce is for the beetles to 
be often covered with mud or dirt, and this special kind has now been 
observed for many years to attack Turnip-leafage, the name of 
“ Turnip Mud-beetle ” might be taken (on the same principle of naming 
as that of the Beet Carrion-beetle) as conveniently describing the 
mixed nature of its habits, or places of resort. 
The beetles are about a quarter of an inch long, of various tints of 
a rusty red colour, the thorax (body behind the head) slightly waved 
at the sides, and with five grooves, more or less bending and inter¬ 
rupted, running along it. The wing-cases greyish or ochry, with rows 
of punctures, and the alternate spaces between these raised in a smooth, 
clean, narrow ridge. The legs, and horns (which are slightly clubbed 
at the ends) pale; and scattered dark spots on the wing-cases. 
"Where the thin film of mud still remains, the beetle looks of a kind of 
general grey colour, but by carefully working this with a moistened 
camel’s-hair pencil the mud will be dissolved, and the beetle appear 
with its true colours and variations of surface. 
With regard to the habits of this family of beetles (the Helophoridcc), 
Prof. Westwood says:—“They inhabit ponds and ditches, creeping 
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