510 FIFTH REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



mentioned, however, that Oonioctena pallida has not yet been found on 

 the birch in this country, though living at the expense of that tree in 

 Europe; and the fungus-eating species* as well as the Elateridst and 

 the species of Ips, | which may feed on the sap of any deciduous trees, 

 are referred to below as not being, properly speaking, birch insects : 



* Bolitotherus bifurcus Fabr. (Eutom. Syst., Suppl., 1794, p. 40). The laiviii, pupae, 

 and images of this species are found iu Polyporus betulinus, which grows on dead 

 birch trees. Larva, pupa, and a male imago are figured by Packard (Guide Study 

 Ins., 1869, p. 474). Kirby, as quoted by Bethune (Can. Entom., Nov., 1873, v. 5, p. 

 mi), says that this species is found iu a boletus of the birch. Some habits of this 

 beetle are mentioned by Harrington (Can. Entom., Dec, 1882, v. 12, p. 260-261). Can- 

 <leze (M6m. Soc. Sci. Li^ge, 1861, v. 16, p. 365-368, pi. 3, fig. 9) gives a detailed de- 

 scription of thelarva, with figure ; and Hay ward (Bull. Bost. Zool. Soc, July, 1882, v. 

 1, p. 35-36) briefly describes the larva and pupa. 



Hoplocephala biconiisVahT. (Gen. Ins. Mant., 1777, p. 215). This insect feeds upon 

 •different kinds of fungi, some of them parasitic on decaying wood of Belula. Kirby's 

 description of the imago is quoted by Bethune (Can. Entom., Nov., 1873, v. 5, p. 210, 

 211). Harrington {I. c, Dec. 1880, v. 12, p. 261) mentions its fungivorous habits. 



Diaperis hydni Fabr. (Syst. Eleuth., 1801, v. 2, p. 585). This species, both as larva 

 and imago, feeds upon Polyporus betulinus, a fungus that grows on dead trees of Betula 

 4i1ba, and the beetles, according to G. Dimmock, are often very abundant about the 

 iirst of July. Harrington (Can. Entom., Dec, 1880, v. 12, p. 261) briefly describes the 

 imago. 



Phellopsis jbcordata Kirby (Fauna Bor. Amer., 1837, pt. 4, p. 236). Thelarva of this 

 species has been found by G. Dimmock, on Mount Washington, New Hampshire, in 

 Polyporus betulinus, the large white fungus common on dead trees of Betula alba. 

 -The imago frequents the same fungus during June, July, and August. 



Thymalus fulgidus Erichson (Germar Zeits., 1844, bd. 5, p. 458). G. Dimmock (Di- 

 rect. Collect. Coleopt., 1872, p. 19, 20) writes: "The larvje feed upon a fungus (Poly- 

 porus betulinus) which is parasitic upon the trunks of white birch trees." This beetle 

 is common in New England, and its larva agrees very closely with the description 

 and figure of the larva of T. limbatus from Europe, as given by Chapuis and Candfeze 

 (Mem. Soc. Sci. Li6ge, 1855, v. 8, p. 417-419, pi. 2, fig. 6). A large number of larvae, 

 taken in Belmont, Mass., produced beetles after a short period of pupation, on or 

 about June 27, 1878. 



t Melanotus? parumpunctatus M(i]ah. (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil., Nov., 1844, v. 2, p. 

 151, 152). A Melanotus, probably this species, was taken in the same cavity with its 

 pupal skin, in decaying wood of Betula alba, at Milton, Mass., Oct. 17, 1884. 



Melanotus? communis Gyllenhal (Schonh., Syn. Ins., v. 1, pt. 3: App. 1817, p. 138, 

 139). A Melanotus, probably this species, was taken in decaying wood of Betula alba, 

 at Milton, Mass., Oct. 17, 1884. 



Elater protervus Le Conte (Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc. 1853, s. 2, v. 10. p. 471). Two 

 specimens of this beetle were taken Oct. 17, 1884, at Milton, Mass., in decaying wood 

 of Betula alba, under circumstances that left no doubt that they bred in the wood. 



ElaternigricolUs lleThst(NatnT. Syst * * * » ins. ; Kiifer, 1806, v. 10, p. 73, pi. 

 164, fig. 7). Coquillett (Can. Entom., June, 188.3, v. 15, p. 101) briefly describes the 

 larva which he obtained from decayed wood of Quercus. Reared from decayed wood of 

 Betula alba, the beetle emerging May 3, 1883, from wood collected the preceding 

 April, in Cambridge, Mass. 



t Ips sanguinolentus Oliv. (Entom., 1780, v. 2, no. 12, p. 8; pi. 2, fig. 14). G. Dim- 

 mock (Can. Entom., April 1871, v. 3, p. 15) notes that he found this species "about 

 fresh-cut maple and birch stumps where the sap was flowing." 



Ips fasciatus Oliv. (Entom., 1780, v. 2, no. 12, p. 7-8 ; pi. 2, fig. 13). G. Dimmock. 

 (Can. entom., April 1871, v. 3, p. 15) mentions that this species is found about fresh- 

 cut stumps of Betula where the sap is flowing. 



