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expressed in a recent letter that L. sericeum of this country and L. 
navale of Europe will show, upon comparison, different generic charac- 
ters. 
With reference to our Hylecoetus lugubris and the European Lymexy- 
lon dermestoides, I am confident that they belong to the same genus, 
since I have collected the larvae and observed the character of the gal- 
leries of the latter species in the white spruce forests of the Jura 
Mountains in Germany. 
My observations with reference to the habits of the chestnut timber- 
worm (a popular name which I prefer to retain on account of its espe- 
cial injury to chestnut wood) leads me to believe that it remains in the 
wood a number of years before it attains maturity. 
A Ptinid injurious to seasoned and old lumber. — On June 19 different 
stages of a Ptinid beetle, Xyletinus peltatus Harr., were found in a 
seasoned yellow-poplar board where they had done considerable dam- 
age. Subsequently I found that this insect does serious damage to 
siding, flooring, and timbers in barns and outbuildings, converting the 
seasoned wood, especially the sapwood, into a fine powder, thus 
materially weakening the timbers, and resulting in promoting decay 
when exposed to moisture. A Clerid larva and a Proctotrypid (Sclero- 
derma macrogaster Ashm.) were found in the # mines of the Xyletinus, 
but as two or three species of small Hymenopterous insects build their 
nests in the vacated mines of this insect, it is uncertain what the Clerid 
and Proctotrypid prey upon. 
A Cerambycid injurious in tulip wood. — June 20 a large Oerambycid 
larva was discovered in yellow-poplar wood, which is to blame for seri- 
ous damage to the heart wood of living as well as dead trees. It 
extends its irregular galleries in every direction through the solid 
wood, packing them as it goes with its finely powdered borings. The 
eggs from which this larva hatched are evidently deposited in some 
wound in the bark or wood, and they probably remain in the wood 
several years before developing. 
Gas affecting shade trees. — June 28 I investigated a trouble among 
the shade trees in Parker sburg, W. Va., which was causing the death 
of a number of trees along the streets. No evidence could be found of 
a primary attack by insects, but the trouble appeared to be due to 
escaping natural or artificial gas. 
The melon plant-louse. — On July 27 complaint was received with 
specimens from Mr. S. A. Gallaher, of Pleasants County, that the melon 
plant-louse, Aphis cucumeris Forbes, was destroying the melon vines 
in that section, where melons are one of the principal crops grown. 
On the leaf inclosed in the letter four pupaB and one larva of Hippo- 
damia convergens were found, which indicated that this Coccinellid was 
common on the vines. Mr. Gallaher said in his letter that he had tried 
Paris green to kill the lice, but it did no good. Evidently he killed 
more friends than foes. 
