130 
1 
size of the beetle, ia also much shorter than theirs, being often on , 
about an inch in length. The eggs are laid along the sides and cover 
by a layer of frass, which is continuous over the roof of the burri 
The eggs are fewer than in the other species, seldom exceeding £j 
and averaging much less. The larval burrows often lie perfectly parali 
with the fibres of the wood, for nearly their whole length of about g, 
inches. The larva does not follow the usual instinct of the genus i 
burrowing into the wood to hybernate, but is satisfied with makiii 
a tolerably deep depression, so that it is exposed on removing the bar 
and I observed last winter that the birds did not wait for the weatb 
to remove the bark, but picked it ofi" themselves to secure the dain 
morsels within. I have only observed it in oak branches broken ( 
by the wind (and not in all these), and I have never seen it in fell( 
timber or in growing trees. It is probable that, to suit S. intricah 
the wood must have been cut (or blown down) for some pax'ticular timi 
and, as the beetle oviposits in the middle of June, only that wood 
attacked which was separated from the tree at a later period than thi 
at which oak is usually felled. An aberration of instinct of this specii 
in confinement is worthy of notice. I placed a number of beetles wij 
some oak sticks, and several of them formed galleries of ovipositio: 
but one of them formed the gallery longitudinally as the other specii 
of the genus do, which it never does naturally, and another assumed 
habit of still more widely sepai'ate species of the Hylesinidae, by makir 
its burrow in the solid wood, the eggs and frass were disposed as in tl 
normal burrow, excepting that several eggs were placed beneath tl 
frass of the roof. In no case did I observe both beetles in a burroi 
and, from what I saw, I have no doubt that pairing occurs after tl 
burrow is commenced, but without the male entering it. 
In conclusion, I may observe, that in all the species the fema 
beetle dies in the burrow after oviposition is completed. All the specii 
have a fashion of placing their foreheads against other individuals an 
giving a thrust by pushing forwards the jaws. They employ this pr( 
cess to remove another beetle from a station they desire to occupy 
it appears, also, to be an expression of anger, sometimes two beeth 
having an encounter in this way, and they use the same movement i 
recommending themselves to the other sex. 
8. destructor, intricatus, and pruni, are able to squeak audibl; 
by a rapid movement of the abdomen against the elytra, intricati 
making the loudest sound. 
The Scolyti are much infested by parasites, especially by Symenoj. 
tera of the family Okalcidida ; «S'. pruni and intricatus lose a larg 
