and voracious grubs. Therefore, I do not. hesitate to assert that they 

 exist only in the Washingtonia, and that tfiey are very certain soon to 

 become extinct. I regard tlie discovery of a colony as one of the most 

 interesting entomological events of my life and I can assure you that if 

 we breed the imagos this year from tliis truni<, they will not soon be 

 dujjlicated by others. 



"There are some thousands of the trees left, but tliey are in small 

 groups scattered miles ajmrt in a few of tiie most inaccessible canyons of 

 the San Jacinto range. Here the beetles are nearly extinct, but it is pos- 

 sible that in Baja Caiifornia they may survive a few centuries longer. In 

 times past they were abundant here, as evidenced by the numerous old 

 trunks riddled with their burrows. But the trunks "that iiave fallen in 

 recent years are all free from their attacks, and as the Indians have burned 

 all the trees that are accessible, so that their trunks are now bare of 

 fronds, it must be now quite difficult for the female beetle to find a (it 

 receptacle for her eggs. I am sure now that they do not o\iposit in bare 

 trunks or in healthy trees, although it is possible that the beetles kill the 

 tree in which they oviposit their eggs." 



A letter written by Hubbard to Dr. Murray of Pahii Spring.s 

 has been placed in my hand through the courtesy of Dr. Fenyes. 

 This gives directions for securing sj)ecimens and is worthy of pub- 

 lication. 



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

 Division of Extojiology, Washixgtox, D. C. 



March 26th, Palm Springs. 



Dinapate wrightii — A tree containing numerous larvae stands back 

 on the side of Palm Canyon, on the rig-lit hand side of the stream, up 

 against the rocks in the first wide park just around the first -bend. This 

 tree is probably 14 or 15 feet high, feathered M'ith fans but the bud is 

 dead. The entire trunk is full of larvae except perhaps the lower two 

 feet. In March, this year, the larvae were working to the outside and 

 many of them were forming their pupating chambers, very near the 

 outside. I think the perfect beetles will issue before the middle of July 

 and therefore I will recommend that sometime late in June the trunk be 

 cut down and brought in to Palm Springs and housed in a good tight room 

 with light and sufficient air, so that it will not ferment and mould. When 

 tiie mature lieetles are obtained they should be killed by immersing them 

 in hot water (not actually boiling) for a few seconds or not long enough 

 to boil them. After being thoroughly drained of adhering drops of water 

 they may be packed in an}' con^'enient box between layers of soft paper 

 to separate the specimens and jjrevent their decay and disintegration 

 when massed together. It will be best to pack only a few specimens to- 

 gether in small match boxes and when these have been dried any number 

 of the boxes maj' be packed in a larger box. No tin box should be used 

 for packing large insects as it confines the air and promotes mold and 

 decay of the ligaments so that the legs and members drop away and the 

 specimens are spoiled. When the beetles are dry they cannot be disturbed 

 without breakage, therefore they should be packed while fresh and not too 

 many together. I will pay .$1.00 for each specimen of the mature beetle 

 in perfect condition, up to .$100.00 for 100 specimens, and will accept a 

 larger number if obtained, but the price per specimen of the second hun- 

 dred will not exceed 50 c. In case of failure to obtain the beetles I will 

 bear my share of any expense incurred within reasonable bounds. 



