81 



thought that they would pass through the transformations that season, but it was not 

 until a year from the following May that the first beetle issued. From the data given it 

 seems that the borer must require two or more years to reach maturity. 



In " Forest Insects " Dr. Packard mentions Lyctus striatus under the list headed 

 " Found in rotten oak wood ; not known to be injurious." We have quite recently found 

 them issuing from a red oak floor in one of our college halls. The floor was laid two years 

 previous to the time of this appearance, and the lumber was seasoned at that time. The 

 beetles issued from the sap wood only, and probably were feeding there when the tree 

 was sawed into lumber. 



In order to learn more of their habits quite a number were placed in a glass jar con- 

 taining a branch of green oak, one of dead oak, and a seasoned stick from the shop. The 

 beetles preferred the latter when first introduced, and made themselves at home by boring 

 a hole entirely through it diagonally the first night. Mating took place in a few hours 

 after issuing and eight days later ovipositing was first noticed. Mating again took place 

 before each egg was deposited. This seems essential, as a female was placed by herself 

 immediately after mating the first time, and, although watched for several weeks after 

 the others had died, no sign of ovipositing was noticed. The branch of green oak was 

 preferred in depositing the eggs, and none were placed on the stick from the shop. Ovi- 

 positing occurred about once in half an hour and lasted but one day. One week after 

 oviposition young larvte were found. We are in hopes to get the complete life history 

 from them. 



From the oak posts of one of our summer houses were taken quite a number of 

 Phymatodes dimidiatus along with P. variws. Four different kinds of wood — elm, maple, 

 hickory, and ironwood — besides the oak, enter into the construction of the chalet, but 

 none of the others showed signs of borers, while the oak was well perforated. The species 

 seem to work mostly just beneath the bark. 



Two specimens of Alaus oculatus were taken in the trunk of a white oak near the 

 partially decayed heart. A full-grown larva of this was also found in the trunk of a 

 " sappy " aspen. 



On the 10th of June a piece of bark was torn from an aspen (Populus tremuloides) 

 that had but recently died, and under it signs of insect depredations were quite evident. 

 Upon further investigation the bark and wood were found to be almost entirely separated. 

 Underneath, the wood was yet sound and quite green. Here were found galleries pene- 

 trating almost to the heart, and in them were found Enchodes sericea in the imago stage, 

 although some of them were yet in the pupa case and nearly as soft and white as a pupa. 



These beetles belong to the family Melandryidse, which contains a number of quite 

 diversified genera that in general live on fungi or under bark. As far as their habits are 

 known those living under bark do not seem to be injurious as borers, and whether we can 

 consider this species as merely working in decayed wood or as a borer in green wood can 

 hardly be decided by this one instance. It is certain that the larvee are capable of pene- 

 trating sound wood. 



The beautiful little Buprestid, Pcecilonota cyanipes was reared from the aspen. 

 When found, June 9th, it was in the pupa state in the axil between the body of the tree 

 and quite a large branch. So much had been eaten around the base that the branch was 

 already dead. Mr. Harrington reports capturing the species on a dead Avillow stump, 

 and Mr. Fletcher a specimen on a dead aspen stump in Ontario. 



Galls made on branches of the willow, Salix discolor by Agrilus torpidus have been 

 found quite common in certain districts near here, and in other districts was found 

 Saperda concolor in galls equally as numerous. In no case yet noticed have the two been 

 found in close proximity. The galls made by the Buprestid are an oval swelling of the 

 live branch very similar to the one made by the Saperda. Inside there is a ditierence in 

 the architecture of the home. While the Saperda remains mostly within the swelling 

 and makes its exit through it, the Agrilus bores an oval gallery downward from the gall, 

 sometimes in the pith, but oftener indiscriminately through the wood, and makes its exit 

 often an inch and a half below. The imago issued about a month later than the Saperda. 

 6 (EN.) 



