IO2 



Three species of parasites* of these beetles were plentiful, and 

 were noted flying around and on the bark of the infested trees. 

 Some of them were observed with their ovipositors inserted into the 

 bark, while others were entering and emerging from the burrows 

 made by the beetles. Here evidence was obtained of the possibil- 

 ity of these beetles being destroyed or reduced 'by natural mean -, 

 to such an extent that they could no longer be destructive to trees. 



These same beetles were found very plentiful in the logs, stumps 

 and tops of last summers cuttings, near these dying trees. 



There was very little evidence of the attack of these beetles on 

 the stumps and tops of the 1887 cuttings, indicating that at or near 

 the time that the timber ceased dying in this locality these insects 

 were not plentiful. 



Conclusions. 



The conclusion arrived at from personal observation and notes 

 leads me to believe that the death of the trees is probably due to 

 .the combined effect of two causes. 



i st. The ravages of the insects primarily succeeded some injury 

 to probably a few trees in. isolated localities. 



2nd. When the conditions were no longer favorable to their ex- 

 istence in the injured trees, and they had increased to great num- 

 bers, the possibility of their attacking the healthy trees from sheer 

 necessity and continuing to spread until checked by some natural 

 cause, seems to me evident. I reach this conclusion from the fact 

 that I have found these same scolytids working in the green, sappy 

 wood and bark. 



Still further investigations will be made in the spruce forests of 

 the State in this and other localities, and a final report will appear 

 in a future bulletin. This bulletin will also contain a list of all in- 

 sects taken in these forests, and such other additional facts as may 

 be determined. 



*pecies Trlgonoderus, Helorus, and Spiutherus, a. sp. 



