294 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [November, 



Scolytas 4-spinosas Say. — In the last number of the News was published 

 a picture illustrating the work of this insect. In the original plate as it 

 appeared in "Garden and Forest," the picture was nearly double the 

 leno;th and illustrated, in natural size, a piece of bark torn from a hickory 

 tree that had been killed by these insects. It has been my fortune to see 

 more of the work of this insect during the present year than ever previ- 

 ously; not only in New Jersey, but in western Pennsyh'^ania, where I spent 

 three days in the vicinity of Pittsburg during the latter part of July. 



In 1894 the insect was complained of as injuring certain trees not far 

 Newark, N. J., on the grounds attached to certain suburban residences. 

 Glen Ridge, which is the name of the little town referred to, was origi- 

 nally woodland, and when the place was laid out the forest was preserved 

 just as far as was consistent with laying out streets and building resi- 

 dences. There are, therefore, quite an unusual number of forest trees in. 

 this little town, and in the hills back of it, and heretofore they have been 

 among the chief ornaments of the place. Hickories are quite abundant 

 and they did well, apparently, until two or three years ago, when occa- 

 sionally a tree died off. In 1894 the dying became so general that alarm 

 was created, and when I visited the village I found that everywhere hick- 

 ories were infested by this Scolytus. Its little round holes could be seen 

 abundantly on the bark of the trees, and associated with it in the work of 

 injury were certain Bupreslid larvae, probably belonging to the genus 

 Dicerca, because I found specimens of this genus on the bark, and there 

 was also a longicorn at work, although I had no means for determining 

 the exact species. 



I was a good deal mterested when I found in the vicinity of Natrona, 

 Allegheny County, Penna., in little patches of woodland, that a large 

 number of hickories were dying from the same cause. Trees were found 

 there in all stages; some of them apparently yet entirely healthy, though 

 the trunk was peppered by the little shot holes; some just dying and the 

 leaves withering; some of them dead, not having leafed out at all during 

 the Spring of 1895. Others there were with only a few holes here and 

 there through the bark, and healthy in appearance so far as the look of 

 the fohagewas concerned, but evidently infested and doomed if the insect 

 be allowed to continue unchecked. I have noticed elsewhere, since my 

 attention has been called to the matter, dying hickories in all parts of the 

 State of New Jersey. Apparently, for some reason, this insect has taken 

 a start and has done, and probably will continue for some time to do, 

 considerable damage. I have had in my laboratory for some time a sec- 

 tion of a trunk, two feet long and about seven inches in diameter, cut 

 from one of the dying trees at Natrona. I was desirous of getting the 

 beetle in some numbers, and of getting also all stages, but find that, ap- 

 parently, the insects do not develop while in drying wood. It seems as 

 if they require a certain amount of living tissue or moisture for their de- 

 velopment. In this respect they differ from 5". rugnlosus, which will de- 

 velop just as readily in wood that is entirely dead as in that which is. 

 simply weakened. 



