458 
R. C. Gunn, a well-known naturalist, wrote a paper " On the Probable Cause 
of the Destruction of the Forests of Eucalypti in the lower levels of Tasmania " (Tas. 
Journ., ii, 460, 1846). He states that the death of the forests of Gum trees at 
Quamby's, Formosa, Epping Forest, and many other localities in the settled districts 
had been attributed by Mr. James Backhouse, Lieut. Breton, and others, to various 
causes, such as long-continued drought, severe frost, depasturing the land by sheep 
and cattle, and electricity (lightning), but he was of opinion that they were all 
destroyed by an insect (species at present unknown), but most likely allied to Scolylus 
destructor. The insect seems to penetrate the bark of the Eucalypti, and then cut 
innumerable channels in all directions in the inner bark and soft wood so as to prevent 
JQ 
the circulation of the sap, their operations being precisely similar, except as to the form 
and direction of the channels, to those of S. destructor described by Mr. W. S. Macleay. 
Mr. Gunn further observed that the death of the forests in the alpine regions 
of the colony was caused by a severe frost in the winter of 1836. 
PHOTOGRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION. 
Photo, from. " The Gum Tree '"' (Melbourne photo.) E. obliqua barked by cockatoos for 
grubs. (See p. 457.) 
