96 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



Note on the habits of Phloeophthorus rhododactylus, 

 Marsh, and Hylastinus obscurus, Marsh. — Both these bark- 

 beetles inhabit whin and broom stems and branches, and in view 

 of their small size and the close similarity of their habits, some notes 

 on their contrasting features may be of interest. Phloeophthorus is 

 the smaller beetle, and is rarely found on thick stems, the galleries 

 usually occurring on stems or small branches half an inch in 

 diameter, and less. I have found it on branches less than quarter 

 of an inch thick. The mother-gallery of P. fhododactyhis is 

 Y-shaped, and is vertical. As a rule one arm of the Y is shorter 

 than the other, and sometimes it may be scarcely noticeable. 

 Hylastinus obscurus prefers stouter stems, an inch or more in 

 diameter, and I have never found it on branches less than half 

 an inch thick. The mother-galleries of obscurus are horizontal, 

 and may sometimes all but girdle the stem. The type is very 

 similar to the galleries of Hylesiniis crenatus on ash, and as in 

 crenatus, one branch of the mother-gallery may be shorter than the 

 other. — James W. Munro, Edinburgh. 



Sinodendron cylindricum, L., in Peeblesshire. — On 14th 

 October 19 15 I obtained on a dying ash stem several larva; and 

 two adults of S. cyliiidricu7n. This beetle is comparatively rare in 

 Scotland, the last record being that of Mr Black from Peebles 

 district. The above specimens were obtained on Darnhall Estate, 

 Eddleston. Dr Stewart MacDougall has mentioned this occurrence, 

 and added a note on the beetle and its larvte in the January 

 number of the Arboricultural Societ\''s Transactions. — James W. 

 Munro, Edinburgh. 



