48 



examination it will be be found, that these castings 

 proceed from a hole or holes, and that they are daily 

 thrown out by the insects to give themselves room in 

 their cyhndrical burrows, as well as to admit the air. 

 Before completing its last metamorphosis, the borer 

 gnaws, from the other end of its tube, a passage quite 

 to the bark, which, however, it leaves untouched until 

 the month of June, when, having become a winged 

 insect, it perforates the covering of bark, and makes 

 its exit from the tree. It cannot turn in its burrow, 

 nor does it ever leave it at its lower orifice. Those 

 persons, who have recommended plugging the holes, 

 never contemplated stopping any but those where the 

 insects enter, and from whence they expel their excre- 

 mentitious castings. By what I have seen of this 

 practice I am persuaded, that, if done at an early 

 period of the insect's hfe, it will be followed by suc- 

 cessful results. 



Some of the remarks made upon the immunity 

 enjoyed by this Saperda and upon its powers of mi- 

 gration, will apply to many other noxious insects ; and 

 hence it becomes a serious question, what further steps 

 shall be taken to secure the productions of the garden, 

 orchard, and field, from their ravages. As an essen- 

 tial prerequisite, every opportunity should be employed, 

 and every facility afforded, for obtaining a thorough 

 knowledge of Entomology. Vain will be most of 

 our attempts to repel the threatened attack or actual 

 invasion of these creeping and winged foes, unless we 

 can detect them in their various disguises, and dis- 

 cover their places of temporary concealment. Those 

 who would undertake to investigate the history of 



