240 Fiftieth Keport on the State Museum 



been attacked in various places from above its first limbs nearly to its. 

 base. The entire circumference of the tree had been grooved, although 

 not continuously. In the above row of maulcs scarcely a single tree was^ 

 entirely exempt from injury — all apparently the work of this grub. 



A few years ago it was an occasion of much pain to me to see at Ben- 

 nington^ Vt., the large number of old maples that were standing dead 

 upon the street or rapidly dying from the merciless burrowing of this 

 borer which had scarred and excavated their trunks. Recently the same 

 ravages, although not as yet to the same extent, were observed by me at 

 Glens Falls, N. Y. This insect was recently very destructive to some fine 

 maples at Canajoharie, N. Y. It is also a serious pest in some other 

 states. In a recent publication, Mr. Kirkland {^loc. cif.) records extensive 

 injuries by this borer in the sugar orchards of western Massachusetts, 

 their work being preceded in most instances by the clearing up of the 

 underbrush. It was thought that the additional light around the trunks 

 of the trees may have served the insect as an invitation to enter upon 

 and prosecute its pernicious work. The maples on the grounds of 

 Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Me., were observed by Dr. Packard to be 

 seriously injured by this pest in 1873 and 1874. In London, Ontario, this 

 insect is spreading rapidly and proving very destructive. In South Que- 

 bec the borer is so abundant as to be found frequently in woodsheds, 

 having developed from mapl^ wood stored for domestic use. 



Formerly a Rare Insect. 



This beetle was regarded by its original describer, Dr. Say, as a rare 



insect, for at the time of its description only two examples were known. 



It is one of our native forms which seems to have found the cultivated 



trees better adapted to its needs than the wild — their proximity, location 



and abundance having supplied ample means for a rapid increase. It is 



now a common insect and a serious menace to the safety of sugar 



maples, either in ornamental grounds or as shade trees along the road 



side. 



Life-History. 



The beetles make their appearance in this latitude during the latter 

 part of June, through July and into August.* The eggs are laid during 

 the latter two months. The place of oviposition may be recognized, as 

 stated by Dr. Packard, '-'by a rusty irregular discoloration of the bark 

 about the size of a cent, and especially by the 'frass' or castings which 

 to the length of an inch or more are attached like a broken corkscrew to 



* Examples in the State collection bear dates of capture from June 33d to August 9th. 



