388 FIFTH REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 
found to be in every case tenanted by a minute chalcid parasite, be- 
Longing to the genus Pteromalus. If new it may be called Pteromalu* 
nematioida (Plate xxvi, Pig. 5). About a hundred of these issued 
from the cocoons in the breeding-box during May, 1883. This parasite 
must therefore be a most destructive enemy of the larch worm. 
We also noticed several bugs, a species Of l'orfisus, near the common 
spiuosN.s, preying upon the fully-grown worms; it ascends the trees and 
pierces the worm with its beak, carrying it down the tree, and sucking 
its blood, rendering it lifeless. 
Further data regarding the hackmatack or larch norm. — The following 
facts were gathered during the summer of 1883 in Maine and New 
Hampshire, and other points in New England and New York, and are 
here put upon permanent record. 
We have already stated in the Entomologist's report that the larch 
saw-fly (Nematm erichsonii ?) begins to deposit its eggs at Brunswick 
about the 20th of June. During a journey to the Rangeley Lakes and 
the White Mountains this saw-fly was observed depositing its eggs, July 
1, at Phillips, where it was observed to be abundant It was also ob- 
served on the 2d at the Mountain View House, Kangeley Lake ; also on 
the larches along the Five Mile Carry from the middle Dam to Umbagog. 
It was also observed depositing eggs in trees at Errol, N". H. ; and 
along the route from Errol to Berlin, N. H., it was observed at work 
July 4, while a number of dead trees were noticed which had died 
from the effects of their attacks during the preceding season. We 
learned that they had been destructive last year in Cambridge, N. H. 
Early in July these worms were also observed by us on the European 
larch in Lawrence, Mass., and they were abundant on the European 
larch on the grounds of Andrew Nichols, esq., of Dan vers, Mass. July 
1G, the larches along the track of the Eastern Railroad from Saco to 
Portland were observed to be brown, having been partly defoliated by 
the Nematus larva; some of the trees were almost entirely stripped. 
During the last week in July we went from Brunswick to Rockland, 
and thence along the coast to Eastport, returning to Brunswick by way 
of Calais and Bangor. The larch is a very common tree in the eastern 
portion of Maine, especially along the coast, on the islands, and in the 
northeastern and northern part of the State. It is comparatively rare 
west of the Kennebec River. It appears, then, that throughout the State 
the larch was this summer partly stripped, and a small proportion of 
the trees was killed. The growths and forests of larch at this time as- 
sumed a peculiar light yellowish brown appearance, as if a light fire 
had passed through the trees, scorching them and causing them to 
change their color. This singular tint was characteristic of the larches 
wherever we went. We noticed this appearance in the larches from 
Brunswick to Rockland, at Camden and Blue Hill; also on Deer Isle 
and adjacent islands ; also at and about Southwest and Bar Harbors, and 
other points on Mount Desert Island and the islands eastward ; also at 
