ON SOME OF THE NORTH AMERICAN COSSIDH, WITH FACTS IN 
THE LIFE HISTORY OF COSSUS CENTERENSIS Lintner. 
By JAMES S. Battey, A. M., M. D., Albany, N. Y. 
Cossus centerensis (Plate 1) was discovered by Dr. Theodore P. Bailey 
in 1877. Formany years previous [ had observed that many trees of the 
Populus tremuloides had perished from some cause then unknown. The 
central shoots of other trees of the same species were dead, and it would 
only require a few years to finish their destruction. Perforations were 
found in the trunks of these trees, some of recent date and some over- 
grown with bark, leaving the cicatrices plainly visible. 
In July, 1876, a brittle pupa-case of the Cossus was found projecting 
from one of the openings, which gave the first clue to the nature of the 
borer and destroyer of the timber. 
On the 10th of June, 1877, a fresh pupa-case was discovered, and on 
the 14th of the same month the first Cossus was captured, resting upon 
the same tree trunk. Every season since this capture the Cossus has 
been taken, but in some years in greater numbers than others. 
The Cossus usually comes forth between the setting and rising of the 
sun, and when the trees are visited daily the protruding pupa-cases left 
behind by the escaped imagines informs the collector how many of the 
nsects he may expect to find. 
Their color similates so closely the color of the bark of the trees that 
it requires good eyes and very close observation to find the moths. 
One unaccustomed to collect them might view an infested tree for a 
long time and not find a Cossus, when several would be discovered by 
an expert. An uneven protuberance on the bark, or the short stump 
left of a decayed broken limb are favorite resting places for the insect. 
The moth at firstis rather sluggish, and can be easily captured. After 
it has been abroad for some days it is wild and more or less muti- 
lated. This Cossus is not attracted by sugar, as might be expected 
from its aborted tongue.* The moth seems to belong to the genus Cos- 
sus Fabr., and not to be congenerie with Yystus robiniw. The head is 
short, eyes naked, labial palpi small, appressed, scaled. The thorax is 
thickly sealed, the scales gathered into a ridge behind, and is squarer 
* The writer is desirous of producing all the known facts in reference to this insect 
in this paper; therefore the descriptive parts which have been published before are 
reproduced, 
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D155 
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