OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 107 



REMEDIES. 



As to any remedy, though practical men, especially those owning 

 fine hickory groves, will naturally look for one, they can, in this re- 

 spect, not be satisfied; for if, after so many years' experience, Mr. 

 Bryant can not think of any practical cure, it would be folly in others 

 to speculate. The habits of the insect defy our efforts in this regard ; 

 and though in Europe coal tar brushed on the trees has been found 

 effectual in keeping the Elm Soolytus away, the idea is of little value, 

 since the tops of the trees are first attacked, and, in a large grove, the 

 roughness of the lower bark often renders a close inspection neces- 

 sary to detect the first holes made. 



The only hope I entertain is from the little parasites above referred 

 to; for when nature comes to man's aid, in the shape of parasitic in- 

 sects, the vegetable feeders often have to succumb. If, therefore, upon 

 careful examination, the white cocoons of this parasite are found 

 abundantly in the bark of the infested tree, I should advise Mr. Bliss 

 to let other trees in the neighborhood remain. But if no such para- 

 sites are found, the only way to prevent the spread of the Soolytus is 

 to cut down and l)urn or scorch all infested trees. 



ScoLYTUs CARY^E Riley — Larva — showiii,2,- no characters of specitic value. 



Pupa — perfectly glabrous, the pygidium truncate. 



7?na(7o— length, 0.15-0.20 inch. Color, either entirely black, or black with brown 

 elytra. 



^ — Head above flat, concave toward tip and coarsely aciculate, coronated with 

 long incurved dull-yellowish hairs around the margin ; labium also quite hairy ; an- 

 tenna? pale rufous. Thorax very little longer than wide, and very little narrowing in 

 front; sub-obsoletely puactate above, but more distinctly so at sides. Elytra with 

 about 10 stri.'c, confused at sides but regular above, and composed of small, deep, 

 approximate punctures, bearing (not always) a few short hairs ; interstitial spaces with 

 a single row of minute and sub-obsolete punctures ; tip more rugosely punctured and 

 pubescent; venter opaque, densely punctate at tip, less so at base ; the first joint emar- 

 ginate and produced in the middle into a blunt spine ; the second as long as the others 

 togethei', strongly excavated, Avith the hind margin carinate and slightly spined at 

 sides, and with a longitudinal carina dividing it into two concavities ; third with the 

 hind margin also carinate, and bearing three more or less prominent conic-acute spines ;. 

 fourth also carinate with a smaller spine in the middle; fifth, pubescent. 



$ — Diffei'S in having the head rather shorter, more rounded, less aciculate and less 

 hairy; the thorax perhaps a little more narrow in front; the elytra with the intersti- 

 tial spaces rather more distinctly punctured, and the venter unarmed. 



Described from 50 bred specimens of each sex. 



The S closely resembles S. 4-spinosus, Say, (Am. Ent. I, p. 182,) but differs from 

 the description of that species in not having the tips of the elytra denticulate, in hav- 

 ing the venter punctate, and in the projection on the first and longitudinal carina on 

 the second ventral joints. It is just barely possible that the (f of canjce 5 is the insect 

 intended bj' Say in his description of 4-spi7iosus, in which event caryce sinks. But if such 

 prove to be the case, he either described from an aberrant individual, or neglected to- 

 mention important characters, as none of the differences mentioned are obsolete in the 

 many specimens of carym which I have examined. The question can only be settled 

 by comparison with his types, if such exist. I leave it with the specialist, and shall 



