“ON SOME COLEOPTERA INJURIOUS TO OUR PINES.”—W. HactE HARRINGTON, 
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With the exception of a few species, which, (unless they occur in most 
unusual abundance), can do little or no harm, all our beetles injurious to the 
pine are comprised in four families, named respectively :—Buprestide, Cerambycide, 
Curculionide, and Scolytide. 
The family Cerambycide contains our largest and commonest pine-borers, 
such as M. Confusor, that large grey beetle with very long antenne, which is so- 
abundant here in summer and autumn. Its members also destroy much 
timber, but their depredations are confined chiefly to dying or dead trees, 
whereas many of the species included in the other families attack living ones. L 
will therefore leave untouched to-night these very interesting “long-horned” 
beetles and briefly consider some species from the other families which are found 
to infest the pines in the vicinity. The first, Buprestidae, contains some of our 
handsomest beetles, and all its members have strong, shapely bodies, clad in horny 
armour so tough that transfixing them with the entomologist’s slender lance 
(a pin) is often quite a difficult matter. Their shape is oblong, the head being 
sunken as far as the eyes in the somewhat square thorax, which is Joined closely 
to the abdomen. The color varies snuch in different species, but is usually very 
striking, and cf a metallic-like lustre ; golden, coppery, green, and other brilliant 
tints prevailing. ; 
The largest species is Chalcophora fortis, a remarkably fine beetle varying 
from one to one and two-tenth inches in length and being about three-tenths of 
an inch wide. Their color is a coppery brown, but newly emerged specimens 
have often a golden-greenish burnish, or a powdery appearance caused by very 
minute particles of wood, scattered in the indentations of the elytra and thorax. 
The brilliancy of their appearance is increased by raised lines and patches on the 
thorax and elytra which are polished and show off against the remaining sur- 
face, as work of burnished metal does against a grained or frosted ground. This 
beetle is comparatively rare, but perhaps as common in this locality as in most 
parts of the country. 
Chalcophora liberta very closely resembles the last species in its markings, 
and might readily be mistaken therefor by those not familiar with both. It is 
smaller, however, being only from three-quarters of an inch to one inch long and 
is somewhat different in color. It is generally of a bright coppery red, but varies 
greatly in this respect, specimens being found of all shades from brassy-black or 
purple to orange-bronze. This beetle, like the preceeding one, is frequently 
found (especially upon saplings) in the centre of a cluster of leaves, head inwards 
and in this position would, by the inexperienced observer, be probably taken for 
a young cone. It appears to feed upon young cones and leaves at such times, 
and these are probably the food of all the pine-investing Buprestians after reach- 
ing the perfect state, as I have found nearly all the species thus situated in the 
leaf clusters. This beetle, C. liberta, is quite abundant, as will be seen when I 
mention that M. Fletcher and Mr. Greata (a former member of this club) 
collected with me in one afternoon (21st Sept., 1878), in a small grove of saplings 
and young trees, over one hundred specimens, and that a couple of days after- 
wards we collected in the same place over half as many. On the 23rd Sept., 
1880, I captured in about an hour 28 (13 males and 15 females) and could easily 
have obtained more. The larve of these beetles had probably bred in trees, 
or stumps and logs in the neighborhood and had resorted to these saplings to 
feed and pair. 
Chalcophora virginiensis is stated by Fitch to be always an inch or more in 
length, but I have measured a great many specimens and find that few exceed 
