150 



expressed in a recent letter that L. sericeum of tliis country and L. 

 navale of Europe will show, upon comparison, different generic charac- 

 ters. 



With reference to our Hyleca-tus luyuhris and the European Lymexy- 

 lon dennestoides, I am confident that they belong to the same genus, 

 since I have collected the larva* and observed the character of the gal- 

 leries of the latter species in the white spruce forests of the Jura 

 Mountains in Germany. 



My observations with referenpe to the habits of the chestnut timber- 

 worm (a popular name which I i^refer to retain on account of its espe- 

 cial injury to chestnut wood) leads me to believe that it remains in the 

 wood a number of years before it attains maturity. 



A Ptinid injurious to seasoned mid old lumber. — On June 19 different 

 stages of a Ptinid beetle, Xyletinus iieltatus Harr., were found in a 

 seasoned yellow-poplar board where they had done considerable dam- 

 age. Subsequently I found that this insect does serious damage to 

 siding, tiooriug, and timbers in barns and outbuildings, converting the 

 seasoned wood, especially the sapwood, into a tine powder, thus 

 materially weakening the timbers, and resulting in promoting decay 

 when exposed to moisture. A Clerid larva and a Proctotrypid {Sclero- 

 derma macrogaster Ashm.) were found in the mines of the Xyletinus, 

 but as two or three species of small Hymenopterous insects build their 

 nests in the vacated mines of this insect, it is uncertain what the Clerid 

 and Proctotrypid prey upon. 



A Ceramhycid injurious in tulip wood. — June 20 a large Cerambycid 

 larva was discovered in yellow-poplar wood, which is to blame for seri- 

 ous damage to the heart wood of living as well as dead trees. It 

 extends its irregular galleries in every direction through the solid 

 wood, packing them as it goes with its finely powdered borings. The 

 eggs from which this larva hatched are evidently deposited in some 

 wound in the bark or wood, and they probably remain in the wood 

 several years before developing. 



Gas affecting shade trees. — June 28 I investigated a trouble among 

 the shade trees in Parkersburg, W. Va., which was causing the death 

 of a number of trees along the streets. No evidence could be found of 

 a primary attack by insects, but the trouble appeared to be due to 

 escaping natural or artificial gas. 



The melon plant-louse.— Oi\ July 27 complaint was received with 

 specimens from Mr. S. A. Gallaher, of Pleasants County, that the melon 

 plant-louse, Aphis cuciimeris Forbes, was destroying the melon vines 

 in that section, where melons are one of the principal crops grown. 

 On the leaf inclosed in the letter four pupa^ and one larva of Hippo- 

 damia conrergens were found, which indicated that this Coccinellid was 

 common on the vines. Mr. Gallaher said in his letter that he had tried 

 Paris green to kill the lice, but it did no good. Evidently he killed 

 more friends than foes. 



