80 DR. HARRIS'S REPORT. April, 



Rhynchcenus pales inhabits the trunks of the pitch and perhaps 

 other pines. The perfect insect is very common on pahngs, the 

 trunks of pines, the sides of houses, &c. in May and June. 



Rhynchcenus Strobi was first described by the late Prof. Peck. 

 It attacks the leading shoot of the Pinus strobus, or white pine. 

 " The lofty stature of this tree depends upon the constant health of 

 its leading shoot, for a long succession of years." If the leading 

 shoot be destroyed, the tree becomes deformed, and the trunk rises 

 no higher, until some one of the topmost branches assumes an as- 

 cending direction, and becomes an irregular kind of leading shoot. 

 This accident is not uncommon, and is effected by this insect. Its 

 eggs are deposited on the leading shoot, probably immediately under 

 the epidermis. The larvae, when hatched, immediately commence 

 feeding on the wood. " It is probable," says Prof. Peck, " that 

 they remain in the wood more than one year, and the shoot dies the 

 second year after the eggs are placed in it. The larva is a soft 

 white grub, with only the head shelly, and armed with strong mandi- 

 bles." " When the feeding state is passed, and before the pupa 

 state comes on, it prepares an exit for itself by opening a passage 

 outwards, but leaves the exterior skin of the bark untouched, so that 

 it is perfectly secured from any injury by rain. The pupa remains 

 quiet for a time, and the perfect insect has only to cut away the epi- 

 dermis to escape. The perfect insects begin to come out early in 

 September, and continue to leave the wood through that month and 

 a part of October. The shoot at that time is pierced on all sides 

 with small round holes ; sometimes thirty or forty may be counted in 

 one shoot." "But an unlimited' increase is not permitted to this 

 destructive insect ; if it were, our forests would scarce produce a 

 single mast." One of the means appointed to restrain the increase 

 of the white-pine weevil, is a species of ichneumon fly endued with 

 sagacity to discover the retreat of tlie larva, the body of which 

 it perforates with its sting, and therein deposits an egg. From 

 the egg of the Ichneumon is hatched a grub which devours the larva 

 of the weevil, and then transforms to a perfect insect in its habitation. 

 The most effectual remedy against the increase of these weevils 

 is to cut off the shoot in August, or as soon as it is perceived to 

 be dead, and commit it with its inhabitants to the fire. Such is 



