C|e (faato Entomologist 



VOL. XII. LONDON, ONT., JULY, 1880. No. 7 



A NEW ENEMY OF THE BLACK SPRUCE, ABIES NIGRA. 



BY DR. H. A. HAGEN, CAMBRIDGE, MASS. 



An enemy of Abies nigra sent to me by Mr. C. S. Sargent, from the 

 Arboretum of Harvard University, induced me to compare the literature 

 about the enemies of this tree. To my surprise, all that is published con- 

 sists of two very excellent papers by Mr. Ch. H. Peck, Albany. One, 

 " The Black Spruce," read before the Albany Institute, May 4, 1875, 8v -> 

 pp. 21 ; the other in the New York State Museum's Report of the 

 Botanist, No. 30. I do not remember to have seen these papers recorded 

 in entomological serials. There are noted two vegetable parasites, 

 Arceuthobium pusillum and Peridermium decolorans. Of insects are 

 recorded a plant-louse near Adelges coccineus, and some Hemipterous gall 

 insect ; also, two beetles, Hylurgus rufipainis and Apate rufipennis. 



The twigs sent to me contained numerous pale spots, the consequence 

 of some dead leaves, three or more, one near the other. The examination 

 of those leaves showed on every one at the base, sidewards, a small round 

 hole. The interior of the leaf was hollow, in some cases only the lower 

 half, where the enemy had not yet finished the work. I discovered directly 

 a small caterpillar, belonging to Tineidae and probably to the Argy- 

 resthians, as the destructive enemy.  The biological collection contains no 

 enemy of the Black Spruce, and no similar destruction of Pines, except a 

 somewhat related twig of Pinus Canadensis, quoted also as probably done 

 by an Argyresthian larva. In Mr. Chambers' valuable list no Tineid 

 living on Spruce is recorded. 



The European literature contains only one fact similar to the American. 

 It is recorded that Cedestis farinatella hollows the leaves of Pines. But 

 until now no American species of Cedestis is known. Probably the moth 

 will be raised and the mystery solved ; at all events. I desire to draw the 

 attention of entomologists to this enemy. Perhaps it may be more com- 

 mon than is supposed, Prof. Peck stating as a fact that the Spruce trees in 

 some parts were said to be dying at an unusual rate, as if affected by some 

 fatal disease. To judge by analogies, the attack made by Hylurgus and 

 Apate is only a consequence of the previous attacks by other enemies. 



