1838. HOUSE—No. 72. 87 
bottom of its burrow, makes its escape from the tree in the latter 
part of June, or beginning of July, and probably deposites its eggs 
before August has passed. This little beetle, which is only one- 
tenth of an inch in length, was named Scolytus Pyri, by Prof. Peck ; 
itis of a deep brown color, with the antenne and legs rather paler, 
or of the color of iron-rust. The minuteness of the insect, the dif- 
ficulty attending the discovery of the precise seat of its operations 
before it has left the tree, and the small size of the aperture through 
which it makes its escape from the limb, are probably the reasons 
why it has eluded the researches of those persons who disbelieve in 
‘ Its existence as the cause of the blasting of the limbs of the pear- 
tree. It is to be sought for at or near the lowest part of the diseas- 
ed limbs, and in the immediate vicinity of the buds situated about 
that part. ‘The remedy, suggested by Mr. Lowell and Prof. Peck, 
to prevent other limbs and trees from being subsequently attacked in 
the same way, consists in cutting off the blasted limb below the seat 
of injury, and burning it before the perfect insect has made its es- 
cape. It will therefore be necessary, carefully to examine our pear- 
trees daily, during the month of June, and watch for the first indi- 
cation of disease, or the remedy may be applied too late to prevent 
the dispersion of the insects among other trees 
In examining the leading shoot of the white pine, Prof. Peck 
found another insect which he called Scolytus strobi. Half a dozen 
were obtained from the terminal bud. This insect is exceedingly 
minute, being only six hundredths of an inch in length, and two hun- 
dredths of an inch in diameter. Ii is black and polished, the feet are 
pale brown, and the antenne dusky. ‘The wing-cases have longitu- 
dinal rows of short bristles, the thorax is densely covered with 
shorter ones, and is rough in front with minute tubercles. 
In the genus Bostrichus, the body is cylindrical, the thorax glo- 
bose, generally rough with tubercles, the elytra or wing-cases are 
arched so as to cover nearly two-thirds of the body, are often ob- 
liquely truncated or cut off behind, and armed with teeth at the 
apex ; the antenne are terminated by a pectinated or serrated club. 
Bostrichus basillaris, is appropriated to the shagbark tree. Its 
larve frequently abound in the trunk, the solid wodd of which is per- 
