THE GENUS PISSODES AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN FORESTRY. 31 
Distribution.—Common in Germany and France, notatus is 
said to be rare in Britain, but I feel sure it is far more plentiful 
than is suspected. 
In the Scottish Naturalist for 1871-72 it is described as having 
“‘ become common in Scotland within the last six or seven years.” 
Fowler gives the following localities:—Chat Moss (between 
Liverpool and Manchester), Sunderland (introduced in ships). 
In Scotland, the Dee and Moray districts. 
The question is sometimes asked about nofatus, has it been 
introduced from the Continent? Examples of introduction and 
spread of insects from other countries in driftwood, timber 
cargoes, etc., are not uncommon, and no doubt our native notatus 
is sometimes reinforced by arrivals from the Continent.! 
Life-History.—P. notatus is injurious, both in the imago state 
and as larva, but chiefly as the latter. The mature weevil in its 
feeding pierces the bark with its proboscis, making a number of 
tiny holes. Some of the young pines (four to six years old) 
which I have used in my breeding experiments with the beetle 
have been completely riddled from top to bottom by the feeding 
weevils, just as if a person had taken a needle and pierced all 
over with it the stem and branches. 
The larva tunnels in the bark, and between the bark and wood, 
and sometimes does immense harm in pine nurseries, especially if 
the attacked plants are growing on poor soil. 
The favourite breeding-places are young pines from four to 
eight years of age, but sickly “poles” are also frequented. In 
the world of timber-infesting beetles we meet with varied 
demands as regards quality of food. Some are dainty feeders, 
asking for better quality of material, some are easier to satisfy, 
while some, as regards quality, are not at all particular, e.g.— 
Lostrychus typographus, the eight-toothed spruce bark beetle, is 
dainty ; Hylesinus piniperda will practically put up with any- 
thing; but P. notatus, while preferring weakly material, asks for 
a certain quality. 
For breeding in, the small brown weevil chooses plants of the 
genus Pinus. Pinus sylvestris is the commonest host-plant, but 
there are records of attack on Weymouth pine, black pine, 
maritime pine. Spruce and larch have been known to be infested, 
but such instances are rare and exceptional. 
1 See a most interesting note by Mr Mitchell in Trans. Roy. Scot. Arbor. 
Soc., 1895, on ‘‘ Driftwood and Insect Attacks.” 
