OF WASHINGTON. 5 



cate that very extensive depredations have been wrought by 

 these barkbeetles in the Pikes Peak region within the past 

 century, and present conditions also indicate that a large per 

 cent of the vast destruction of timber heretofore attributed to 

 fire was primarily due to the work of these insects. 



This was particularly striking on the southern slopes of 

 Pikes Peak, at an altitude of about 10,000 feet, where nearly 

 all of the timber had been killed some fifty years ago. In 

 the fragmentary patches of living timber old felled trunks of 

 a primitive matured forest of Engelmann spruce were found 

 thickly covering the ground. On the weatherbeaten surface 

 of these logs the characteristic markings of the galleries of 

 Dendroctonus piceaperda were so common as to leave little 

 doubt that the trees had been killed by a destructive invasion 

 of this species indeed quite conclusive evidence of this is 

 found in the presence of dried resin in the grooves, which 

 would not be found there if the trees had been attacked after 

 they were dying from other causes. 



This additional evidence, together with the known devas 

 tating work of this class of insects, makes it clear to me that 

 there has been a most intimate interrelation of destructive 

 barkbeetles and forest fires in the denudation of the vast areas 

 of once heavily forested lands in the Rocky Mountain region, 

 and that in very many cases the insects have first killed the 

 timber, and the fire has then followed, leaving the charred 

 trunks and logs as apparent proof that the fire alone was 

 responsible. 



DECEMBER 7, 1905. 



The 2OOth regular meeting was held at the residence of Mr. 

 C. L. Marlatt, 1440 Massachusetts avenue, N. W., the presi 

 dent, Mr. Banks, occupying the chair. The following persons 

 were present : Messrs. Ashmead, Banks, Barber, Barrett, 

 Burke, Busck, Casey, Caudell, Couden, Currie, Doolittle, Dyar, 

 Fairchild, Fiske, Gill, Heidemann, Hopkins, Howard, Hunter, 

 Knab, Marlatt, Patten, Piper, Quaintance, Schwarz, Stiles, 

 Titus, Uhler, Webb, and Webster, members, and Messrs. 

 Douglas H. demons, E. R. Sasscer, George R. Stetson, and 

 J. F. Strauss, visitors. The minutes of the November meeting 

 were read and approved. 



Three persons were elected to active membership, namely, 

 Mr. Jasper M. Lawford, of 718 North Howard street, Balti- 



