FAMILY SCOLYTIDAE 539 



work. Infested branches contained numerous beetles, and appeared to die 

 upwards from the lowest part affected. 



The beetle enters the branch by boring a horizontal tunnel through the 

 bark to the bast, preferably just at or below the juncture of the branch with 

 the stem ; though, if these places are already occupied, it will go in any- 

 where else on the branch. On reaching the bast the insect eats out in the 

 bark and sapwood a shallow chamber, in which the eggs are deposited 

 amongst a mass of chewed wood-dust. These eggs are laid in little masses, 

 apparently stuck together, on one or two sides of the chamber. In the case 

 of the observed Indian cryphalids it appears to be usual for the male insect 

 to help the female in preparing this chamber; but I do not know whether 

 this is the case in this instance, as the attack was too far advanced when 

 discovered. As soon as the eggs are laid the female appears to leave the 

 chamber, going out by the hole at which she entered. The larvae, on 

 hatching out, feed upon the bast layer at the edges of the chamber ; not 

 boring definite tunnels away from it, but just eating away the edges in an 

 irregular manner. 



From observations made on the habits of other species, it is not unlikely 

 that there is at least one more generation of this insect in the year, the beetles 

 from the May larvae probably appearing in July and ovipositing in fresh 

 twigs and branches. This fact and the rest of the life history of the beetle 

 have, however, yet to be observed. 



C. strohmeyeri has only been found as yet in green silver-fir branches of 



old trees. It is probable that it infests branches of trees 



to the F r t ^ a ^ a g es - ^ n several instances the beetles have been 



found killed in their entrance-tunnels by an outflow of 



resin from the living branch. If the beetles are at all numerous the branch 

 is often killed; and this may be the case when only a few insects infest it, 

 since the feeding of the larvae by continually enlarging the original egg- 

 chamber often completely rings the branch, the cambium being eaten away 

 all round. The needles on infested branches turn bright yellow and die, and 

 thus the presence of the pest can be easily recognized at a distance. A closer 

 examination will show on the branches small round holes, surrounded by small 

 circular rings of resin. 



It is not yet known whether this insect infests the loading shoots and 

 branches of young sapling--. 



In ornamental plantations in stations and cantonments, etc., remove all 



infested branches and burn them. This should be 



Protection and j ,1 r T ir J.L 



R ,. done in the early part 01 [une. If young growth is 



affected, all trees found attacked by the pest should 

 be promptly cut out and burnt. 



