of the Blue Gum of Tasmania, ce. 131 
although their ravages are abundant enough immediately be- 
neath, the entrance having apparently been effected in other 
spots. Mr. Watson has, within the last month, submerged 
some charred Blue Gum with the view of testing this remedy. 
The result will be communicated to the Society hereafter. 
Besides the Limnoria, there is also found in its perfo- 
rations a small millipede from } to = of an inch in length, 
the body of which is composed of about fifty segments, each 
supplied with the usual pair of legs, which are furnished with 
tufts of hair, and impel the animal through the water with 
great activity. Iam unable to say whether it perforates the 
wood itself, or merely occupies the holes made by the Lim- 
noria: it appears to be armed, however, with a formidable 
pair of forceps. 
The sapwood of all the Hucalypti is subject to the attacks 
of small worms, which are usually the larve of beetles and 
flies. The dusty powder which is seen so frequently to fall 
from the rafters of houses, and furniture made from the 
Gum, is mostly produced by the larve of a minute beetle. 
The beetle is of the same habits, and is found deep in the 
sapwood, which is generally wholly reduced to powder— 
with the exception of a thin shell of the outside—hefore the 
harder wood is attacked. The beetle escapes through a 
small pinhole : it is, like most of its class, beautifully marked, 
and with its larve seems to subsist upon the sapwood, for 
piercing which it has a powerful apparatus. 
The operation of freeing timber from the sapwood is some- 
times not thought of: but where durability is an object, or 
when used for furniture or fittings, this should certainly be 
done, as it is invariably attacked by this insect. 
The growing timber is also attacked by numerous insects 
of different kinds. When the tree has passed its prime, the 
heart decays, and openings are formed near the ground be- 
K 2 
