The CANADIAN ENTOMOLOUIST. 101 



NOTES ON A FEW SCOLYTID^. 



BY J. M. SWAIN E, MACDONALD COLLEGE, QUEBEC. 



The three American species of Xy/eborns, py r i Z\mm.^ tachygraphus 

 Zimm., and obesus Lee, form a well-defined group among the described 

 American species of the genus. They are distinguished by the short, stout 

 form, and by the peculiar minute and humpbacked males. These species 

 have been separated as the genus Anisandrtis F., and by others as the 

 subgenus Anisandrns. In view of intermediate forms the separation of 

 these species as a distinct genus would hardly seem warranted. The 

 genus Xyieborus, as at present constituted, however, contains about 240 

 species, and subgenera would be convenient. I consider the forms named 

 above, together with the species described in this paper, as belonging to 

 the subgenus Anisandrns. Dr. LeConte has described the antennal 

 funicle of these species as "4-jointed." This is certainly an error. The 

 funicle is distinctly 5-segmented, with the first segment large and sub- 

 globular. In N. Y. State Museum Bulletin, 134, plate 13, fig. 42, the 

 description should read : "Part of antennal funicle and antennal club." 



Pyrt Zimm., has long been considered a synonym of the European 

 form, dispar Fabr. From a careful comparison of American and Euro- 

 pean specimens I feel satisfied that all belong to one species, but I find 

 in my specimens slight but constant differences. In the American speci- 

 mens the minute reticulations of the chitin are so developed that the body 

 is quite opaque, but little shining ; in the European specimens these 

 reticulations are less developed, and the body is decidedly shining. The 

 American males have the first three interspaces of the elytral disk rough, 

 with transverse ridges ; the European males have these interspaces nearly 

 smooth. From my specimens it would appear that pyri Zimm., is a 

 variety of dispar Fabr. If these differences are found to be constant, 

 they have perhaps been developed since fruit trees were first brought to 

 America. 



Of the other two described American species, tachygraphus appears 

 to be quite distinct. The original description of Zimmerman is here 

 quoted : 



"X tachygraphus Zimm. — Long, ij^ lin.; brown; antennae and feet 

 ferruginous-yellow ; prothorax not longer than wide, roughly tuberculate, 

 more coarsely in front than behind, thinly pubescent ; elytra short cylin- 

 drical, behind obtusely rounded, punctate-striate, the intervals also 

 punctured, with fine rows of hairs, and behind also with small elevated 



May, iqio 



