punctures and uniform very short hairs. Elytra more yellowish brown, dilated at the lower sides anteriorly, and with about nine deeply punctured striæ, the striæ themselves sometimes obsolete; more or less covered with coarse and short pale yellow hairs which form by their greater density three more or less conspicuous transverse bands, the first of which is at the base; between the second and third band in the middle of the elytron, is a smooth, dark brown or black spot, with a less distinct spot of the same color below the third, and a still less distinct one above the second band. Length .16 inch. Described from four specimens bred from strawberry-boring larvæ. The black spots on the elytra are quite distinct and conspicuous on two specimens, less so on one, and entirely obsolete on the other."

Larva-White, except the head, which is pale yellow. The mandibles are dark brown, black at the edges, and bifid at the tip. The labrum is narrowed from behind; broadly rounded, entire and bristly in front, and marked by a transverse suture before the middle. The antennæ, situated outside the upper angles of the mandibles, are one-jointed and excessively minute, being about .02 mm. in length. Just outside each antenna is a black ocellus-like spot in full-grown larvæ, wanting in smaller individuals. The head is smooth, except for about three transverse rows of slender hairs. The body is strongly arched, like that of a lamellicorn, each segment bearing a single row of very short sparse hairs. The first segment of the dorsum is smooth; the remaining segments are divided into three transverse lobes or folds, the first and last of which are interrupted near the end by oblique grooves. Below the spiracles is a row of large, low, triangular tubercles, and beneath these a second row, separated from the former by a longitudinal channel. The ventral segments of the abdomen have the usual form of a single transverse ridge, a triangular portion of each end of which is marked off by an oblique groove. The structure of the segments is, in fact, almost precisely that of the strawberry root-worm, to be hereafter described. The pectoral ridges of the thorax, however, bear upon each side, instead of feet, three large fleshy tubercles, each with two or three stiff hairs at the tip. This larva, when stretched out, is one-fifth of an inch in length by one-half that width.

Pupa.-The pupa is white throughout, with the exception of the eyes, which show through the pupal envelope at the base of the snout. The head and snout are bent against the breast; the second is about twice as long as wide, broadening towards the tip, where it is widely emarginate. The clubbed antennæ extend scarcely beyond the tip of the snout. The middle of the head bears two longitudinal rows of stiff bristles, four or five in each row, and three rows of similar bristles extend transversely upon the thorax, while others surround the margin. The posterior edge of each abdominal segment is likewise bristled, and a pair of incurved hooks terminates the abdomen.

The life history of the crown-borer is now practically complete, thanks to

Fig. 14. STRAWBERRY PLANT, showing work of single crown-borer in crown. The insect, having obtained its growth, has but just transformed to the adult stage, H. Garman,

the early observations of Prof. Riley, and to some contributions to the subject which I have been able to make since last August.

The eggs are laid on the crown in spring (this year certainly not earlier than April), being pushed down among the bases of the leaves. The larvæ penetrate the crowns soon after hatching, and excavate the interior all summer, until they get their growth.

It is worthy of note, however, that a single larva does not wholly destroy a plant, as it matures by the time a quarter or a fourth of the substance of the crown is devoured. (See Fig. 14.) Frequently two or three or more beetles will attack a single stool, and they then leave behind them only a hollow shell, to which the roots are attached. (See Fig. 15.) Still in its subterranean cavity, the worm transforms to a pupa, and in the same safe retreat effects also the final change into the mature beetle, this last transformation occurring all the way along from August to October, during a period of about two months. These beetles all escape from the crowns in autumn, but are not known to lay any eggs until the following year. That they pass the winter as adults in the fields infested by them as larvæ, I have proven by finding a number of them there alive this year as late as November 29, and also by finding them in the fields his spring. None of these insects, in any stage, occur in the crowns later than the latter part of October, and none were to be found there in Southern Illinois as late as April 25, although the adult beetles of last year's brood were occasionally encountered on the crown among the leaf stalks and leaves. A pair of these were seen there in copulo, on the 12th of that month.

This is a shy and sluggish insect, rarely seen outside its burrow, and incapable of flight, the membranous wings being reduced to useless rudiments, as shown by several dissections which I made last fall. As it does not leave the field in which it had its origin, it feeds of course, while a mature insect, on the tissues of the plant.

The effect of this borer varies according to the variety of strawberry, and the condition of the field. Wilsons are said to be destroyed by a single attack, but some more thriftily-growing varieties will form new crowns year after year to replace those excavated by the borer, and will thus resist its injuries for some time. Our observations show that this process is considerably facilitated by hilling up the plants, or throwing dirt against the rows.

I do not know that this insect has been found injurious anywhere except in Illinois and Missouri, although we have specimens collected in Minnesota. It doubtless originated in the wild strawberries of our prairies, and its work could probably have been foreseen, and its ravages prevented, if a proper study had been made, in time, of insect injuries to the wild plant.

As these beetles spend their entire time in the field, and feed, of course, as adults, upon the foliage of the strawberry, it is not impossible that they might be poisoned in the fall. Except by this method, it is difficult to see how the insect can be destroyed without sacrificing the plants. To kill both together, the ground should be plowed late in June or early in July, when the crowns are full of half-grown larvæ.

It is not in the life history of this insect, but in its structure, that we find a clue to its subjugation. The rudimentary condition of its wings, and its consequent lack of the power of flight, taken together with its sluggish movements, suggest the value of the isolation of new fields as a preventive measure, or at least the policy of separating them from infested areas by a considerable interval. Just how wide this interval should be, it is impossible to tell without experiment; but from the observed rate of progress of the pest during the year from one patch to another adjacent, it seems probable that a few rods would suffice. To obtain plants from an old field in which the crown-borer has prevailed without serious risk of transporting the insect with them, it is evidently necessary that the stools selected should be transplanted as early as possible in spring. After the beetle commences to stir, the danger will daily increase that the crowns will be infested with its eggs.

INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE ROOT.

Ants.

Order Hymenoptera, Family Formicida.

Although these enterprising and nearly omnipresent insects of various species often occur in strawberry fields in noticeable numbers, I have never learned personally of any serious injury which could justly be attributed to them. For the purpose of calling attention to them, however, I quote the following note from the Farmer and Fruit-Grower for June 16, 1880, and credited therein to the Examiner and Chronicle :—

"The next pest that we have to contend with here is the ants, and so destructive are they in this locality that some growers think of turning their attention to other pursuits. They honeycomb the ground right under the plants, eat off the fine roots, and as fast as new ones are put forth they share the same fate, and the plants soon lose their vitality. If the grass and weeds are allowed to grow among the plants, they will not suffer so much, as the ants will work among the weeds as well as the strawberry plants; but to grow fine fruit the ground must be kept clear of weeds and runners."

It is proper to say, however, that the difficulty of determining exactly what as small a creature as an ant is doing under ground, makes it not impossible that the writer of this article was deceived as to the real business of these insects. Only a dissection of specimens and a study of the contents of their alimentary canals could determine this matter with certainty.

Order Coleoptera, Family Scarabaeida.

Doubtless I can say little or nothing concerning this species which is new to the readers of this article, so familiar is the insect to every one who has anything to do with agriculture or horticulture in any of their departments. All know that the name is commonly applied to the larvæ of several