(38) 



ing seasons, by detaching the caterpillars from the trunk 

 or limb, and burning or scalding them; or, by breaking off 

 the leaves upon which they are feeding, and killing them. 

 Two Ichneumon flies have been bred from them which 

 serves to keep them largely in check. The American 

 Cuckoo has been seen in the act of devouring them, always 

 seizing the insect by one extremity and crushing to destroy 

 vitality before swallowing. 



Okk Wee. 



Stenocorus putator. PECK. THE OAK PRUNER. 



(COLEOPTEBA, CERAMBYCID.E.) 



During the latter part of summer, and through the 

 autumn, branches from one to four feet in length ma} 7 be 

 seen under the Oak trees. The branch has the appearance 

 of being sawed from the tree, but upon close examination 

 the center will be found to be filled with saw-dust like 

 fillings. Upon splitting the cut end of the branch, the 

 larva will be found, thus showing the cause of the branch 

 having fallen. Harris states that the branches may. be 

 found cut from the tree in the fall, the larva remaining in 

 the wood during the winter, transforming to a pupa in the 

 spring, and in June or July changed to a beetle and comes 

 out of the branch. Packard states it undergoes its trans- 

 formation in mid-summer and lays its egg near the axilla 

 of a leaf, stalk, or small stem. 



Those bred by myself, were found as early as the 25th 

 of July, and changed to the perfect insect the following 

 May 10th. 



The egg is deposited on a small branch, four or five 

 inches from the main branch which it eventually severs 

 from the tree. The young larva hatches and obtains its 

 nourishment from the pith, boring a cylindrical hole as it 



