112 COLEOPTERA. 



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 antennas. 



This pretty beetle has been long known to me, but its 

 habits were not ascertained till the year 1847. On the 19th 

 of June, in that year, Theophilus Parsons, Esq. sent me 

 some fragments of bark and insects which were taken by 

 Mr. J. Richardson from the decaying elms on Boston Com- 

 mon ; and, among the insects, I recognized a pair of these 

 beetles in a living state. Mv curiosity was immediatelv 



/ / > 



excited to learn something more concerning these beetles and 

 their connection with the trees, but was not satisfied by a 

 partial examination made in the course of the summer. It 

 was not till the following winter, that an opportunity was 

 afforded for a thorough search, with the permission of the 

 Mayor, the Hon. Josiah Quincy, Jun., and with the help of 

 the Superintendent of the Common. 



The trees were found to have suffered terribly from the 

 ravages of these insects. Several of them had already been 

 cut down, as past recovery ; others were in a dying state, 

 and nearly all of them were more or less affected with disease 

 or premature decay. Their bark was perforated, to the height 

 of thirty feet from the ground, with numerous holes, through 

 which insects had escaped ; and large pieces had become so 

 loose, by the undermining of the grubs, as to yield to slight 

 efforts, and come off in flakes. The inner bark was filled 

 with the burrows of the grubs, great numbers of which, in 

 various stages of growth, together with some in the pupa 

 state, were found therein ; and even the surface of the wood, 

 in many cases, was furrowed with their irregular tracks. 

 Very rarely did they seem to have penetrated far into the 



