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injured trees was infested principally by the common European bark 
beetles, Hylesinus (Myelophilus) minor Hart., and Hylesinus (Myelophi- 
lus) piniperda Linn. The larva of the Clerid had evidently been de- 
vouring the larva and pupa of the latter species at a fearful rate, for in 
many instances, scarcely one had escaped where there had apparently 
been thousands. The Clerid was also found under the same conditions 
in the forests near Meissen in the Kingdom of Saxony, and were taken 
from the bark of spruce logs in the Lauterbrunnen Valley in Switzerland, 
where they had been feeding on Tomicus cembrae, Heer. 
Upon my return to this country, with something over a thousand 
specimens, a small colony of the beetles and larvae were placed in a pine 
woods near Morgantown, on October 10, 1892, being the first examples 
set free in America. The remainder were successfully kept over winter 
in the larval and pupal stages, and between April 20 and May 10 they 
were distributed to the timber companies which had contributed to the 
expenses. Colonies of 25 to 100 were placed by me, or under my special 
supervision, on and in the bark of trees, logs, and tops, where the con- 
ditions were most favorable for their propagation. 
Eight importations, numbering 2,082 exanrples, have since been 
received from collectors in Alsace and Saxony, Germany, and the living 
examples have been sent to the timber companies in five different coun- 
ties, with special instructions for their proper location in colonies the 
same manner as first mentioned. In all 26 colonies have been placed in 
different sections of our forests. The conditions surrounding each col- 
ony are most favorable for the clerids to thrive and increase, and we 
have every reason to believe that they will do so under their changed 
conditions, but as yet we have no means of ascertaining to what extent 
they have multiplied, and of course it is too early to expect results. 
There is one interesting fact, however, that I have observed this 
season regarding the destructive Pine Bark -beetle Dendroctonus fron- 
talis, and that is that its numbers have been very greatly reduced since 
last fall, consequently at this time very little if any timber is dying. 
On the 24th of July, 1892, 1 found this species attacking and mining 
beneath the bark of living trees, in which they occurred in immense 
numbers. By the latter part of September a brood had emerged from 
the bark of the same tree while the leaves were yet green, and those 
that had emerged were entering the bark of other living trees. In 
November the bark of the same tree's were found to be infested by 
countless thousands of the insects in all stages from eggs to adults. 
Trees so affected subsequently died, but through persistent search in 
the bark of such trees in different sections of the State I have failed, as 
yet this season, to find a single living example of Dendroctonus fron- 
talis. Hence the trouble, as caused by this species, is evidently at an 
end in West Virginia, for the present at least. 
