126 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



instead of being caused by an uncongenial soil, or an insalu- 

 brious atmosphere, as had been previously supposed, was 

 actually the work of an insect. Having raised the bark along 

 the fissures, he found below them three longitudinal furrows 

 excavated between the wood and the bark, but almost entirely 

 in the latter : these furrows extended two feet : commencing 

 some inches below the top of the stem, they extended to 

 within four or five inches of the ground; but their length 

 was really greater, on account of the number of flexuosities 

 which they presented in their course, which, if accurately mea- 

 sured, would add at least a third. Three deviations made by 

 the larva, and which occasion three long zigzag lines, occasion- 

 ally crossing each other, are evidently for the purpose of 

 enabling it to find in its course, and before it reaches the foot 

 of the tree, a sufficient quantity of nutritive matter. M. 

 Audouin having traced these grooves, found they originated in 

 a spot from whence a branch had been cut the previous year. 

 At this spot he found a small circular interval between the 

 bark and the wood : the eggs whence the larvee proceeded had 

 been laid on the new bark, — and it is indeed a spot most 

 favourable for their reception. On this account there would 

 be an obvious advantage in covering the sore, as soon as made, 

 with the ointment of Saint-fiacre: it would protect the trees 

 not only from the insect in question, but from many which 

 deposit their eggs on the dry wood, and are thus easily intro- 

 duced into the bark. M. Audouin exhibited and described 

 the larvae which had excavated the furrows in question ; they 

 belong, without doubt, to a coleopterous insect, and probably 

 to one of the family of Serrkornes. Further observations, 

 and the advantageous results arising from the treatment of the 

 infested trees, will be laid before the Society. 



M. GuERiN addressed the Society on the subject of Sclero- 

 derma, a genus of Hipneuoptera. Notwithstanding all his 

 researches in the various works on Entomology, he has been 

 unable to recognise this genus, which is by Latreille attributed 

 to Klug, but of which there was no satisfactory description in 

 the works of that illustrious entomologist. 



M. GuERiN called the attention of the Society to some 

 articles written by Mr. Westwood for the British Cyclopedia ; 

 also to the publication of the posthumous works of Mr. Say, 

 in the Boston Journal. 



