320 



weather, so as to be no longer attractive to it. They Utilize 

 not only the larger branches and trnnks but they may be 

 fonnd in the branchlets no more than an eighth of an inch in 

 diameter. They feed first in the bark and sap wood and then 

 make their final borings and pupal chambers deep in the wood 

 where thej close themselves in with the finely comminntod 

 Avood, as is not uncommon with Cerand>yeidao. Besides the 

 Lagocheirus and the Neoclytarlus, the immigrant Prosoplus 

 hanl-ii (Fabricins) also attacks the Eupliorhiak wood and com- 

 petes with the Neoclytarlus for its food The finer branchlets, 

 too small for them to use, are utilized by two or three small 

 Scolytid beetles of the genus Hypothcncnuis or its allies. 



The size of tlie beetles varies greatly, indixiduals breeding 

 out from the main stem and 1 tranches Ix'ing usually larger 

 than those from the l)rancldets. Apparently they are also 

 smaller where the wood fed upon has been dried than where it 

 is moister. 



The adults mate soon after emerging, within 24 hours, 

 and oviposition begins at once. ]\laling is frequently repeated, 

 the female ovipositing while accompanied by the male and 

 very frequent mating takes place iictween the acts of ovipo- 

 sition. One female observed mated more frequently than she 

 deposited eggs and was almost constantly surmounted by one 

 of several males. She was very much averse to leaving the 

 Eiiphorhia wood in proper condition placed with them and 

 when not in copulation was constantly feeling about with the 

 end of her abdomen in search of suitable crevices in which to 

 oviposit. She was observed to ovi|)osit in a patch of shredded 

 wood formed by the larva of Prosoplus tind on examination 

 three eggs were foimd. These were fusiform, dull white, ap- 

 proximately .742 mm. long hw -318 unn. wide, the end by 

 which they were attached being a little more elongate than the 

 other. The distal end is strongly reticulate, the rest smooth. 

 Apparently the eggs are held in place by some slight cementing 

 material. 



In mating the male grasps the female with his front legs, 

 which usually hold her near the middle leiis, and walks when 



