60 
gion. In fact some of them caused considerable damage to the 
potatoes, as will be mentioned in the article about potato- 
beetles. Many of these blister-beetles are known to feed in 
their early stages upon the eggs of locusts. A very interest- 
ing report upon the pecular life-histories of these beetles was 
published inthe ‘‘First Annual Report of the United States 
Entomological Commission.” The following species of these 
beetles were abundant: the ash-gray blister-beetle (Macro- 
basis unicolor Kirby), the margined blister-beetle (Hpicauta 
cinerea Horst. ), the black blister-beetle ( Hpicauta pennsylvanica 
De G.), and the red-headed blister-beetle (Hpicauta trichrus 
Pall.). All these beetles, frequently best known as being very 
injurious to potatoes, beans and other cultivated plants, surely 
have one great redeeming character, in being our best friends 
by checking an undue increase of noxious species of locusts. 
Their life-history may be summed up in a few words: they de- 
posit, from July to October, their orange or yellow-colored 
eggs in irregular masses in loose ground, each female produc- 
ing from four-hundred to five-hundred eggs. In about ten 
days these eggs hatch, producing very active, long legged 
larvee with large heads and strong jaws, which run about 
searching everywhere for the eggs of locusts. If an egg-pod 
has been found, the larva forces its way into itand commences 
to devour an egg; if two larves have found the same prize a 
mortal combat takes place, lasting until a single larva remains 
as sole owner of this store of food. As soon as one or two eggs 
have been consumed the larva throws off its skin, and reap- 
pears in a very different shape, being now white, soft, and pos- 
sessing only smalllegs. In the course of another week a sec- 
ond molt takes place, disclosinga larva with rudimentary 
mouth-parts and legs, and of a very clumsy aspect. Soon an- 
other molt takes place, but only slight changes are seen in this 
form of the larva. It soon eats the remaining eggs in the pod, 
and leaving it, burrows in the soil, where it forms a smooth ca- 
vity, within whichit rests. Soon it splits its skin again, dis- 
closing now quite rudimentary, tuberculous mouth-parts and 
legs; the semi-pupa thus formed is rigid and of a deeper yellow 
color. It hibernates in this condition. In spring the skin is 
again torn open, and a larvaappears looking like that of the 
second shape, but smaller and whiter; it is quite active, but 
