20 



ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 



[Jan., '04 



feet, causes corresponding differences in vegetation striking 

 enough to be classed almost as mesophytic and xerophytic. 



Nature had long ago distributed her trees so that the leaves 

 of the past year helped to grow those of the present, read- 

 justing an}' unbalance caused by a deficit in the food-material 

 of the soil. Mans' improvements, grass-cutting and leaf- rak- 

 ing, naturally impoverished the soil rendering the incipient 

 xerophytic hill a poor producer. The trees were slowly starved, 

 and in their weakened condition succumbed to the attacks of 

 their insect foes. On the other hand the healthy trees of the 

 lowland were able to withstand the depredations of fungi and 

 boring insects, which probably would have had no incentive 

 for attacking them. 



A word of suggestion to similar land owners may be given. 

 If these trees had been kept in health by artificial fertilization 

 possibly they could have withstood the leaf-raking. To re- 

 place the abstracted nourishment trenches could have been dug 

 around the trees to be filled with manure or other suitable 

 food at the close of each season. Had this been done the trees 

 would probably have been preserved more effectually than by 

 waging war on the insect foes. 



LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL BEETLES INFESTING THE TREES. 



Bark-beetles and fungus feeders. 



Hister Lecontei Mars. 



Ips quadriguttatus Fabr. 



Tenebrioides manritanica Linn. 



Pyrochroa flabellata Fab. 



Boletophagus biftirca . 

 Wood- borers. 



Melajiotus commuitis Gyll. 



Melanotus decumanus Er. 



Melanotus fissilis Say. 



Dicerca divaricata Say. 



Dicerca asperata Lap & Gory. 



Melanophila druutmondi Kirby. 



Chrysobothris fernorata Fab. 



Chrysobothris azurea Lee. 



Lucanus dania Thunb. 

 Orlhosornabrtinneunt Forst. 

 Elaphidion viliosunt Fabr. 

 Elaphidion mucrouatuni Fabr. 

 Eburia qicadrigeniinata Say. 

 Xylotrechus colonus Fabr. 

 Urographis fasciatus Deg. 

 Alobates pennsylvanica Deg. 

 Merinus laevis Oliv. 

 Xylopinus saperdioides Oliv. 

 Tenebrio tenebrioides Beauv. 

 Diaporus hydni Linn. 

 Meracatitha contracta Beauv. 

 Scof abates calcaratus Fabr. 

 Platydenta subcostatuni Lab. 



Tenebrio and Alobates outnumbered the others, and at the 

 time of emergence could be found by dozens under the loosened 

 bark. The presence of so many wood-borers attracted num- 

 bers of parasitic insects, especially ichneumons and Braconids. 

 The wasp Cerceris was also noticed, possibly searching like its 

 European relatives for the Buprestidse. 



