THE SPRUCE INVESTIGATION. '265 



ally seen with their tails, or rather their abdomens, erect, or 

 turned forward, over their backs. 



A small black species, (Homalota pontomaloto, Casy) was 

 commonly met with in the galleries of the spruce bark beetles, 

 in all sections of the spruce forest and in the Norway spruce 

 near Morgontown, and while I have not observed it feeding, it 

 doubtless attacks the eggs and young larva of the bark beetles, 

 and if so, must destroy great numbers of them. Other species 

 were also found in the galleries of the bark beetles, or associ- 

 ated with them in the bark, but were not observed feeding. 

 Indeed, all of these rove beetles are so wild that it is almost 

 impossible to observe their feeding habits without disturbing 

 them. 



HISTERID BEETLES. 



The Histerid beetles are easily distinguished from all other 

 bark infesting species, by their jet-black, polished and shining 

 wing covers, which do not extend to the tip of the abdomen. 

 The other parts are also black and shining. Some species have 

 short, flat bodies, while others are more elongated and cylindri- 

 cal. The three species which were commonly met with in the 

 egg galleries of the spruce bark beetles were evidently there 

 for the purpose of feeding on the adults, eggs, or young. I 

 have frequently observed one species, ( Hister cylindricus) feed- 

 lag on adult bark beetles, and the others doubtless have simi- 

 lar habits. One quite small species, (Paromalus bistriatus, 

 Er.,) was found to be very common in the bark of black spruce, 

 with the bark beetles. The larvae of these beetles are slender, 

 flattened, yellowish, shining worms, with curved spines on the 

 last abdominal segment. 



NITULID BEETLES AND THEIR LARVAE. 



The Nitulid beetles also have shining wing covers, which are 

 shorter than the abdomen, but instead of being uniform black, 

 they are usually brownish and marked with yellow or whitish 

 spots. 



While some of the species of ttyis family pf injects feed upon 



