THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 99 



several other species of insects have also been credited with. The duration 

 of their life as larvae has not yet been ascertained, but when full grown 

 they transform within their burrows in a light cocoon composed of silk 

 and sawdust. The perfect insects are generally clad in liveries composed 

 of black, blue-black, white and different shades of yellow, and a descrip- 

 tion of the largest and most frequently observed of the few species 

 inhabiting' Canada will give a good idea of the others. It has received 

 the name of Trcmex coiumba, or the Pigeon Tremex, the latter word mean- 

 ing a maker of holes. Under the name of Sirex coiumba (given by 

 Linnaeus) this insect was figured and described by De Geer as much 

 resembling Sirex gigas, except that it was smaller, being only one inch 

 long-, while the other was an inch and two lines. But his must have been 

 an under-sized specimen, for I have found their ordinary length to be one 

 and a quarter inches, while some -attain to over an inch and a half. The 

 cylindrical body of the female is long and stout, the extremity being 

 rounded and terminated by the usual short tail, which is yellow ; the body 

 itself is black with transverse bands (several broken) of yellow. The 

 head, thorax and antennae are rust-yellow, with black markings ; the legs 

 a light ochre-yellow with blackish thighs. The borer is black and its 

 sheath rust-yellow. The smoky wings expand about two inches. The 

 male is very much smaller and of different shape, the abdomen being 

 more flattened, while as it is without any borer, it might easily be mistaken 

 for another species of insect. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



We are pained to announce the death of one of our active members 

 in the Worcester Natural History Society, Otto R. Gunther, who died sud- 

 denly, Feb'y 27, of hemorrhage, at the age of 23. He was interested in 

 many branches of Natural History, particularly that of Entomology, of 

 which department he was Curator. Born of German parents, and inherit- 

 ing from his father a love for study, and especially the study of Ento- 

 mology, he had for several years past devoted his leisure hours, both early 

 and late, in this direction. His attention was chiefly directed to Coleop- 

 tera, and by his industry in collecting, together with his many exchanges, 

 he has left a valuable collection of well-determined species. He was a 

 congenial companion, exemplary, thorough and systematic in his favorite 

 study, giving promise, if he had lived, of being a prominent co-worker in 

 this branch of science. T. A. D., Worcester, Mass. 



