238 Forty-second Report on the State Museum. [96] 



fissures of the bark, where they undergo their transformations into 

 the perfect beetle. These last, however, are few, and bear no com- 

 parison with the multitudes of the pupae which will be found on the 

 damp ground, motionless, helpless, and appearing like grains of 

 wheat accidentally fallen near the tree. After becoming pupae, in a 

 few days the skin of the back splits open, and the perfect insect 

 crawls forth, furnished with wings, by means of which it is enabled to 

 fly to other trees to deposit its eggs, thus spreading the nuisance to 

 every elm in the neighborhood, or it may ascend the same tree and 

 lay the eggs for the second generation, which destroys the second 

 crop of leaves, frequently so enfeebling the already exhausted tree 

 that it is unable to recover, and eventually dies. 



Hibernation of the Beetle. 



To the above comprehensive account of Mr. Glover may be added 

 a few additional observations on the life-history of the insect for the 

 benefit of those who may desire as full a history as may be given, in 

 order that they may be the better prepared to meet it in its several 

 stages of transformation. 



The insect hibernates in the beetle stage. Members of the last 

 brood (in the State of New York we have two broods a year *) — those 

 that have survived the dangers to which they are exposed — quite 

 early in the season (time not definitely known) seek such sheltered 

 places as may offer them fitting quarters for their winter's sleep. 

 Many enter out-buildings and dwellings for their hibernation, for each 

 spring examples of the beetle, found within doors, and usually in unoc- 

 cupied apartments, are sent for name and other information, their 

 numbers having drawn attention to them as unknown guests. Mr. 

 Angus, of West Farms, New York, has informed me that a neighbor, 

 whose house was overtopped with two large elms, and had been closed 

 for some time during the summer, upon his return, found the beetle 

 in large numbers lying about everywhere. They had entered the 

 house through the crevices in the shingled roof, and through the 

 chimneys. 



The time of the emergence of the beetle from its winter's retreat 

 will vary, of course, with the degree of forwardness of vegetation, 

 but it will be as early as the leaves of the elms are in condition to 

 receive the eggs. On the 24th of April, 1884, Mr. Angus wrote me 

 that it was then first making its appearance in the garret of his house. 



* Although this has been generally accepted, Rev. Mr. Hulst and Prof. J. B. Smith, 

 from careful observations made on the insect, as entomologists of the New Jersey 

 Agricultural College Experiment Station, have reached the positive conclusion that 

 for the last two years, at least, there has been but a single annual brood in that State. 

 There may be, they think, a second brood in Washington, but not in New Jersey and to 

 the northward. 



