88 
figure and this note are published in order to call the attention of 
entomologists and apple growers to what seems to be a new apple 
enemy. The gentlemen in the Pomological Division of the Department 
have occasionally seen similar mines under the skin of apples, and an 
effort will be made to secure living specimens in order to rear the adult 
insect. Mr. W. P. Corsa, of that division, brought us in November, 
from Milford, Del., apple twigs containing similar serpentine mines 
under the bark which may possibly have been made by the same species. 
The larva of Gracillaria fasciella Cham. makes very similar mines 
under the skin of young willow twigs, according to Mr. Pergande’s 
observations. 
ANOTHER LEAD-BORING INSECT. 
In the pages of Insect Life we have referred to two cases in which 
insects had been found to bore into lead. The first case was that of a 
Cossus larva, which had bored its way through a large leaden bullet, 
which was embedded in an oak tree in which the larva was living. The 
second was that of a coleop- 
terous larva, which had 
bored through a section of 
lead piping, and which was 
communicated to us by Prof. 
A.J. Cook. 
A new case was brought 
to our attention during the 
autumn of 1896, and as it 
was an instance in which 
expert testimony prevented 
litigation, it is worthy of 
record. 
= ns a A prominent firm of 
Fig. 19.—Apple showing work of some unknown species of plumbers in a western city 
eee eee lined a tank with sheet 
lead in 1894. In 1896 the tank was observed to leak, and the hole 
which was found was supposed to have been made by a carpenter’s 
compass having been dropped into the tank, thus piercing the lead. 
Several weeks later another leak of the same appearance was observed 
close to the first one, and when the third leak was reported it was of 
such a Serious nature as to flood ceilings and soak furniture, carpets, 
etc., damaging them to the extent of $200 or $300. An investigation 
was begun. A strip of the sheet lead was cut out and a large number 
of holes were found, some entirely through the lead, some only part of 
the way through, and others in the form of grooves running lengthwise. 
Underneath each hole or groove a burrow was found directly opposite 
in the wood, with wood dust in the holes. Another plumber was called 
in by the owner, and he stated that, in his opinion, the lead had been 
carelessly laid on wood on which there must have been fine gravel, and 
in pounding or dressing the lead out to a smooth surface the stones had 
