WOOD-EATING COLEOPTERA. 289 



phaga, Lamellicornes , Sternoxi, Malacodermata, Rhynco- 

 phora, and Longicornes &c. 



As might be expected^ their modes of attack on trees are 

 as varied as their organization ; and their study is one of 

 great interest to naturalists^ besides being of the greatest 

 importance to the owners of plantations and forests. Some 

 species mine in the bark^ others between the bark and the 

 solid wood^ others in roots and branches_, and there are 

 few, if any, of our native trees that are not liable to attacks 

 from one or more species. 



The amount of damage done to a forest when a few 

 species get fairly established in it is very great ; and too 

 often the woodpeckers, which would assist in checking their 

 ravages, are destroyed, because they bore holes in the trees 

 to get at the insects. 



At the present time the fine spruces in Dunham Park 

 are being rapidly destroyed by one of the large Weevils, 

 Hylobius abietis, and many ash trees by a small species 

 mining in the bark, Hylesinus fraxini. In the valleys of the 

 Spean in Perthshire the alder trees are being destroyed by 

 the larvse of Stenocarus bifasciatum. They begin the work, 

 which is joined in by some smaller species, to such effect 

 that you may see there trees, 30 inches in diameter, through 

 which you can thrust a walking-stick. 



A short time ago I accompanied a friend to his fishing- 

 cottage in the north of Lancashire. It had been closed 

 up for a little time, and the chairs and tables had been 

 attacked by Anobium striatum, and although in appearance 

 quite perfect, when touched almost crumbled to dust. 



I bring for exhibition a piece of bark mined by two 

 species of beetle, of great interest to entomologists, Hyle- 

 sinus vittatus and Nemosoma elongata. The latter species 

 was taken in 1833 by Mr. Ingall, at Sydenham, and since 

 then it has not been met with, except about three speci- 

 mens, until the spring of this year, when my friend Dr. 



