369 



punctured cigarette paper with it, aud I herewith send the same to you, as the animal 

 may have some interest for your investigation. I do not want it again. — [A. A. 

 Hoehling, M. D., U. S. Naval Hospital, Washington, D. C., April 11, 1890. 



Reply. — I have your favor of the 11th instant and the accompanying specimen of a 

 beetle which you found in cigarettes. This is Lasioderma serricorne Fabricius, popu- 

 larly known as "tobacco beetle," one of the cosmopolitan insects, and known to 

 infest not only dried tobacco leaves but also all sorts of drugs and spices. It is not 

 identical with the so-called " death-watch " (Anobium pertinax), but belongs to the 

 same family. Its life-history has often been treated of by various authors but pre- 

 sents no features of especial interest. It is referred to in Insect Life, I, No. 12, pp. 

 378-9.— [April 14, 1890.] 



A Curious Case. 



I send you by mail, in a little wooden pen box, marked with my initials, a small 

 black insect for identification. This bug was found in a clothing store here, and had 

 died after cutting through a pair of heavy woolen pantaloons, making eight holes 

 about the size of a buck-shot. It does not seem to be like the moth which usually 

 cuts woolens. — [Thos. C. Harris, curator State museum, Raleigh, N. C, March 27, 

 1890. 



Reply.— The specimen which accompanies your letter is a wood-boring beetle 

 (Buprestis striata), and it is probable that it issued from some of the wood-work 

 within the store, and in endeavoring to make its escape cut through the clothing. 

 The emergence of wood-boring beetles from furniture, which in some cases has been 

 used for years, has been frequently reported. The larvae in these instances were in 

 the wood before it was used in manufacturing the articles of furniture. — [March 31, 

 18 JO.] 



Beneficial Beetles infested with Mites. 



By to-day's mail I send you a beetle which, with others, has been in a neighbor's 

 cold frame, all of which he says have been covered with the minute ones. Are the 

 small ones the same species, or are they parasites ? If parasites, they are fully able 

 to take care of the large ones ; he did not say whether the large ones were destruc- 

 tive to his plants. The sleet of last week killed most of the Aphides that were 

 hibernating on the rose bushes, some of which were literally covered from the ground 

 to the very top. They did immense damage in this county (Camden, N. J.) to melons 

 and cucumbers, as well as attacking currants and cherry and apple trees. — [I. W. 

 Nicholson, Camden, N. J., March 13, 1890. 



Reply. — Yours of the 13th, with specimens, duly received. The beetle is one of 

 the ground beetles of predatory habits known as Harpalus faunus, and the small 

 creatures upon its back belong to a species of parasitic mite known as TJropoda 

 americana. This same species is a common parasite of the Colorado Potato-Beetle, 

 and was first figured and described by me in ninth Report on the Insects of Missouri, 

 page 41.— [March 14, 1890.] 



Flea Beetle Injury to Strawberries. 



I send you by same mail box containing specimens of small beetles which appeared 

 here yesterday. The first I heard of them was in the western part of the county, on 

 Tuesday. They appeared on my strawberries in thousands. You can judge of their 

 numbers when I tell you that all sent were taken by holding the box under one leaf 

 and shutting the cover down on it, and I expect you will find at least twenty-five or 

 thirty in the box, and they are numerous all over the patch. All the berry fields in 

 this neighborhood are infested. I have seen them also on weeds of different species 

 and on peach trees. I have tried tobacco dust, wood ashes, and lime dusted over the 

 plants, but these remedies only drive them off for a short time. Will you please in- 



