seltlom found without an ants' nest beneath it (stones get too hot in the sun) : when 

 the weather is very dry they remain helow ground, but wlien moist they ascend and 

 carry their eggs and pupiB to the surface under the wood : wiieu tliis shelter is care- 

 fully lifted up on one side, I have often observed a Paussus (P. Dohrnii, cucullatus or 

 Latreillii), surrounded and covered with ants, apparently sucking nourishment out of 

 him, and fondling him all the time with their aulennie, as they do the Aphides and 

 larvae of Cenlroti, and other lainellicorn Coleoptera found with ants. 



" When the alarm is given in a nest, and all is hurry and bustle to save eggs and 

 pupa;, two or three ants will seize the sluggish Paussus l)y the aulennse, and he is 

 quickly hurried below with the rest. I can discern no difference in the odour emitted 

 by P. cucullatus and P. Latreillii, when exploding, and that which is perceived on 

 opening au ants' nest on a hot day." 



Captain Cox exhibited some diagrams illustrating the economy of Scolytus 

 destructor, and read the following communication, pursuant to notice given at the 

 last Meeting: — 



On the Ravages of Scolytus destructor. 



" Ten years have nearly elapsed since the Royal Botanic Society of London 

 awarded me their medal, and had my Paper (read before the Society in 1848) published 

 for distribution among the Fellows and Members. IMr. R. Marnock (the Curator) 

 then staled ' that the results of the operations recommended in that Paper had been 

 most satisfactory, and had proved highly beneficial to ihe trees.' As I feel certain 

 that I shall nearly stand alo;ie in the views I have taken of the habits of the Scolytus 

 destructor, it is most essential that I should avail myself of the powerful testimony of 

 the award made by the Royal Botanic Society of London, and of the report of the 

 Curator, to assist me in bringing conclusive evidence before you that we are now per- 

 fectly acquainted with the true habits of the Scolytus destructor, and the means of 

 arresting its future progress ; it is most peculiarly fitting now that Science should step 

 in and prove that over one pest at least we have power, and if not made use of the f\iult 

 lies entirely with the public. 



" Among the various pests that are constantly claiming attention by their 

 obnoxious powers, the Scolytus destructor holds no mean rank : the elm is one 

 'of the most useful trees we have in this country; it suits our climate, is extremely 

 oruamcnlal and flourishes where otliers would not thrive so well, its timber is made 

 use of in various ways, and therefore its preservation is alike advantageous to our 

 ornamental parks and woodland scenery. Previous to 1840 the Sccdytus destructor 

 was known, but its habits not perfectly understood : it was during the formation of the 

 Royal Botanic Gardens that my attention was first directed to the sickly state of the 

 elms forming the belt of the inner circle of the Regent's Park ; the axe was constantly 

 being applied, and large and increasing gaps pointed to where the trees had stood 

 and where destruction was going on: on enquiring of the parties laying out the 

 grounds as to the cause of the premature decay of these fine young trees, I was 

 informed that 'some had perished by having an inner embankment formed to prevent 

 parties outside the garden from looking over, and consequently a portion of earth had 

 been raised round their stems, and that others had died, and were dying from their 

 roots entering the gravel.' Now, if this latter information were true, I could not 

 uiidersland why the circle of trees, separated by only a few yards from them, and 



