206 ReEporRT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY OF THE 
black scales interspersed with a few white scales. A few jet 
black tufts of erect bristles or scales are found upon the wing 
covers and thorax. When the wing covers are magnified, each 
is plainly pitted in ten longitudinal rows, the thorax also being 
minutely, though irregularly, punctured. The under side of 
the abdomen and the legs are black, being marked here and 
there by white scales which are especially numerous on the 
femora, giving the latter a slightly banded appearance. The 
head and proboscis are black in color. There is a very marked 
groove in the sterna which lies between the first and extends 
to the middle of the second coxal cavities. If the beetle is not 
active, the proboscis is contracted into this groove. When 
handled the beetle frequently emits a squeaking noise, which 
is evidently made by rubbing the parts of the thorax together. 
HABITS OF THE ADULT, 
The adult belongs to the same family as the well known plum 
curculio and has somewhat similar habits. When moving about 
the beetle does not run, but walks with a slow, steady, lumber- 
ing motion. The beetle does not fly when disturbed but will 
drop to the ground with limbs and snout contracted, or if on 
the top side of a branch, will roll over on its side and to the 
ground. No beetles have been observed to puncture the leaves. 
HABITS OF THE FEMALE DURING OVIPOSITION. 
The female usually eats thirty to forty minutes in making 
a cavity to conceal the egg. She then reverses herself and 
stands still with ovipositor thrust deep in the opening for thirty 
seconds or a minute. The abdomen is then worked up and 
down as if the egg were being packed in. The whole operation 
requires two or three minutes. The position is again reversed 
and the female works the packing with snout and antenna for 
several minutes until apparently satisfied, when she moves off 
in search of another place in which to deposit an egg. 
THE NUMBER OF EGGS OVIPOSITED BY ONE FEMALE. 
Some observations were made in 1905 and 1906 to determine 
the number of eggs deposited by adult females. When the in- 
vestigation of the life history of this insect was taken up, in. 
the latter part of August, 1905, practically all the beetles of 
