112 FOREST ENTOMOLOGY. 



barking referred to would not pay ; but having regard to the damage 

 arising from the perfect beetle to the shoots of young trees, or 

 where a nursery with young Scots pines is in the neighbourhood, 

 it might be quite advisable to check the pest in this way. It often 

 happens that young Scots pine plants in the nursery are injured by 

 the beetle. 



The very small tops and branches of Scots pine lying on the ground 

 are not suitable for the breeding purposes of this insect, though they 

 are used by other beetles. The larger branches, however, may be used 

 for breeding purposes, and it is therefore advisable, both for checking 

 the beetles and for the health of the crop, to keep woods entirely free 

 from dead trees and all brushwood. Hence it may be seen that, so 

 far as the health of the woods is concerned, it is not a good practice to 

 leave the fresh or half-dead branches on the ground for cover. At the 

 same time, it is only fair to note, in the interests of game-cover, that 

 the perfectly dry dead branches which may at times be pruned off 

 from the base of the stems of Scots pine are not used by beetles for 

 breeding purposes. 



Hylurgus minor (Hart.) 



This insect is considered by many coleopterists as purely a Con- 

 tinental species, though a few workers consider it a British species. 

 Hence Fowler says it is rare, and gives l)eeside and Braeraar as 

 districts. 



The beetle is smaller than tlie preceding species, and may be 

 recognised by noting the bristle-bearing tubercles continued on the 

 second interstice of the elytra. 



Not having found the species, I quote from Professor Fisher as 

 regards the relation to the forest : — ■ 



" H. minor, Hart., chiefly attacks the Scots pine, but has also been 

 found on the spruce. It prefers poles, but may attack 50- to 70-years- 

 old trees. The mother-galleries are large, regular, double-armed, and 

 horizontal, with a rather long entrance-burrow, and groove the sap- 

 wood deeply. The injury which its breeding causes is therefore 

 greater than that of H. j^iniperda, as the circulation of the sap is 

 more endangered by these horizontal galleries. It is not, therefore, 

 surprising tliat quite sound trees are killed by it, or, at any rate, 

 become stag-headed. 



"The larval galleries are short, not very numerous, and terminate 



