OF WASHINGTON. 185 



the sides, last four ventral segments finely and densely punctulate. 

 Emargination of mesosternum in front broad and shallow. Anterior tarsi 

 of male with two joints dilated, the basal joint with dense golden pubes 

 cence, the next two with brownish pubescence beneath. 



Length 5 to 6 mm. Six examples collected in decaying Opuntia 

 cngelmanni at San Diego, Texas, by Mr. E. A. Scbwarz. Type 

 No. 4175, U. S. N. M. 



This species is easily distinguishable from the previously de 

 scribed species by the very short thorax with arcuate sides, the 

 carinate lateral striaB and the sexual characters. 



Under the head of " Short Notes and Exhibition of Speci 

 mens," Mr. Fernow referred to the recent increase of pin-holes in 

 timber from the Southern States. The insect producing the damage 

 is probably some Ptinid beetle, but there is a possibility that it may 

 be a Scolytid. He expressed the hope that it would prove to be 

 the latter, since then its ravages may be met. If it turns out t 

 be a Ptinid, however, there is little hope of a remedy unless it 

 should be ascertained that deadening the trees at another season 

 than that now employed will prove efficacious in preventing dam 

 age. He pointed out the interesting fact that the rapidly growing 

 interest in forest management in the United States will, no doubt, 

 afford careers for future economic entomologists. 



Mr. Schwarz stated that pin-holes, so called, are caused either 

 by Ptinids or by inside feeding Scolytids, and spoke somewhat at 

 length on the habits of these groups. He showed further that 

 damage by beetles of the genus Lyctus is becoming vastly more 

 common than it was even a few years ago, and that he is at a loss 

 to account for this increase, unless there has been some change in 

 the method of drying timber. 



Dr. Smith showed Beijerinck's recently published paper on 

 the " Cecidio-genesis and alternation of genera of Cynips calrcis" 

 and briefly reviewed the work. 



Apropos to this paper, Mr. Ash mead recalled the fact that alter 

 nation of generations had already been established in this country 

 in the case of a species of the genus Callirhytis, namely, by Dr. 

 Riley with'C. operator.* Mr. Fernow referred to the fact that 



* Vide Science, 1895, p. 6, reprint, April 26. 



