466 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



tubercle. The dorsum of the anal plate is deeply furrowed along the 

 median line. 



The burrows of this larva are confined 

 very largely to the heartwood of decaying 

 birch, and are invariably filled with the bor- 

 ings, except a short, curved portion through 



Fig. 116 Xyphidria provancheri, 



larva, enlarged (original) which the adult makes its way to the surface 



This species has been recorded from Canada, White mountains, New 



Hampshire, and Massachusetts, and Professor Cresson considers it closely 



allied to X. albicornis Harris. 



The writer has succeeded in rearing a number of small parasites from 



this borer, which were kindly described by Dr Ashmead as Pammegis- 



chia xiphydriae. 



Slender birch horntail 



Konowia attemiata Nort. 



A horntail borer making moderately large cylindric burrows in decaying birch, 

 very likely belongs to this species. 



This insect has been reared from dead black birch by Mr Patton, who 

 also obtained therefrom a parasite, Rhyssa hum id a Say, which in all 

 probability preys on this borer in the same way as the lunate long sting, 

 Thalessa lunator Fabr., attacks the pigeon tremex, T rem ex 

 columba Linn. This species can hardly be considered of much 

 economic importance, as it appears to infest only decaying birch. 



Description. The adult has been described by Mr Norton as follows : 



Male. Pale honey yellow ; antennae 16 jointed, blackish, two or three 

 basal articles yellowish ; a spot inclosing ocelli, tip of mandibles, sides of 

 neck, of meso- and metathorax blackish, tergum irregularly dark, pectus 

 brown piceous ; body beneath and legs whitish ; wings hyaline, nervures 

 and stigma pale ; under wings with two middle cells. 



This species has been recorded from Connecticut, New Jersey and 



Pennsylvania. 



