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the body flattened, obtuse, and nearly as wide at the end as at the 

 first abdominal ring. The head is one-half as wide as the pro- 

 thoracic ring, being rather large. The prothoracic segment, or that 

 next to the head, is transversely oblong, being about twice as broad 

 as long ; there is a pale dorsal corneous transversely oblong shield, 

 being about two-thirds as long as wide, and nearly as long as 

 the four succeeding segments ; this plate is smooth, except on the 

 posterior half, which is rough, with the front edge irregular and 

 not extending far down the sides. Fine hairs arise from the front 

 edge and side of the plate, and similar hairs are scattered over the 

 body and especially around the end. On the upper side of each 

 segment is a transversely oblong ovate roughened area with the 

 front edge slightly convex, and behind slightly arcuate. On the 

 under side of each segment are similar rough horny plates, but 

 arcuate in front, with the hinder edge straight. 



The beetle resulting from this larva is of a dark brown color, with 

 a tint of gray, owing to a thin coating of very short down. It is 

 ornamented with a curved line behind the eyes, two stripes on the 

 thorax, and a three-toothed or three-branched stripe on the outer 

 edge of each wing-cover of a rusty red color. There are also six 

 black dots on the thorax, two above, and two on the sides ; and 

 each of the angles between the branches and the lateral stripes of 

 the wing-covers is marked with a blackish spot. The two hinder 

 branches are oblique, and extend nearly or quite to the suture ; the 

 anterior branch is short and hooked. Its average length is about 

 half an inch ; but it varies from four to six-tenths of an inch. The 

 males are smaller than the females, but have longer antennae. 



From the present appearance of the elms throughout the towns 

 of Central Illinois where I have had an opportunity to examine 

 their condition, and from the rapid progress which this pest has made 

 among them during the last two or three years, it seems extremely 

 likely that it will totally exterminate the trees unless it be promptly 

 arrested by general action. The only remedy available is unques- 

 tionably the destruction of affected trees in autumn and winter be- 

 fore the beetles have a chance to emerge from the trunks. In towns 

 this measure should usually be taken by the authorities, since indi- 

 vidual action could not be depended on to more than palliate the 

 difficulty. If every elm which is in the unhealthy condition above 

 described, and which, upon examination, is found to harbor these 

 borers beneath the bark, were cut down in autumn and burned be- 

 fore spring, the multiplication of the borer might be effectually 

 checked ; but if the destruction of the trees be postponed until as 

 late as May, a part of all of the beetles maturing each year would 

 escape to carry the mischief elsewhere. 



2. The Elm Plant Louse. 



[Schizoneura rileyi, Thos.) 



Order Hemiptera. Family Aphidid^. 



Finding an elm at Normal seriously infested by this louse, and 

 apparently upon the point of death from the effects upon its foliage, 



