Entomological Notes. 297 



mer insects. Here then, is a whole species, I may say genus, of 

 birds which Providence seems to have formed for the protection of 

 our fruit and forest trees from the ravages of vermin, which every 

 day destroy millions of these noxious insects, that would other- 

 wise blast the hopes of the husbandman; and yet they are pro- 

 scribed by those who ought to have been their protectors, and in- 

 citements, and rewards are held out for their destruction. Want 

 of adaptation for this method of seeking sustenance should be 

 sufficient to clear these benefactors from the charge of extracting 

 the life of trees; but in addition to this, we have the evidence of 

 those who have examined the stomachs of the birds themselves, 

 and thus by the sacrifice of their lives, compelling them to testify 

 to the falsity of the accusation made against the species. Dr. 

 Bryant stated before the Natural History Society of Boston, Mass., 

 " that he had examined the stomachs of six yellow billed wood- 

 peckers, sent to him from Wisconsin, charged with doing great 

 damage to orchards here, in all of which be found portions of the 

 inner bark of the apple tree, but also much greater quantities of 

 insects; that in one bird he found two larva? of a boring beetle, so 

 large that there was not room in the stomach for both at once, and 

 one remained in the lower part of the ;vsophagus;" and he adds: 

 " If these were the larvae of the sarpeda, as is probable, they would 

 do more damage than twenty woodpeckers, and I sincerely hope 

 that these birds are not to be exterminated, unless it is clearly 

 demonstrated that the injury caused by the destruction of the bark is 

 not more than compensated by their destruction of noxious insects." 



Steel-Blue Beetle. 

 Ilaltica Chalybey. 



This beetle has long been known to the grape growers of the 

 country as very destructive to the vineyard. It has done but little 

 damage in this state, compared with its work in other sections, yet 

 it seems to be on the increase here, and has occasioned more loss 

 the present season than in any previous year. If care is taken to 

 destroy them when few in numbers, they will probably never be so 

 numerous as to prove very destructive, but if neglected, they will 

 doubtless become very troublesome. 



Though commonly called the steel-blue beetle, they differ much 



