100 Zoologica: N. Y. Zoological Society [HI; 3 



future broods. The first set of eggs are few in number (five to 

 ten) and are placed without any protection on the sides near 

 the end of the main gallery, or in cavities or short branching 

 galleries, one-half to one inch from the end, where upon hatch- 

 ing, the young larvae find a supply of ambrosial food. After the 

 first set of larvse have attained considerable size, another set of 

 eggs are deposited, and so on at intervals until a large family 

 is reared, in which eggs, larvae of all stages of development, 

 pupae, and young and old adults are found crowded promiscu- 

 ously in leaf-like brood-chambers which are continually broad- 

 ened or extended by the adults and possibly by the larvse, to make 

 room for the increase. It appears that the brood-chambers are 

 broadened and extended by the adults, and that the borings, 

 mixed with the fungus, are softened and furnish additional food 

 for the larv£e and young beetles." At this point in his account 

 Hopkins introduces the following note: "In a brood-chamber 

 before me just cut from a nearby apple tree, I find a pupa minus 

 an abdomen. No predaceous enemies can be found, but two or 

 three half-grown larvse are in such a position as to make the 

 circumstantial evidence quite plain that they are to blame for 

 the multilation. The remaining portion of the pupa is in a 

 normal condition, which would indicate that the attack had been 

 recent and when the victim was alive. This would also indicate 

 that the helpless pupae may furnish food for the larva in case 

 of a scarcity of ambrosia, or that they may be thus disposed 

 of to prevent an overcrowded brood-chamber." 



The account of Xyleborus continues : "Mr. Hubbard records 

 the discovery of a death chamber, or a kind of catacomb, in 

 which the dead mother beetles and other dead friends or foes 

 of a large colony are consigned by the survivors. In some fresh 

 specimens of galleries before me I find the same thing, but it 

 appears that in addition to a resting place for the dead, it is also 

 utilized for the disposal of all objectional and refuse matter, 

 which owing to the crowded condition of the chamber, cannot 

 be conveniently expelled from the entrance. One of the males 

 found in this set of chambers was excavating a burrow in the 

 mass of material in the death or garbage chamber. Whether he 

 was excavating his own tomb, or simply providing bachelor 

 quarters, I cannot say. The proportion of males in this, as in 



