790 
ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
OAK. TRUNK. 
downwards and is continued backward upon the upper side of the breast. Itsbaso is clothed 
with larger scales, forming tufts upon each side. The abdomen is conic and equals the tips 
of the wings in its length, and is but slightly covered with scales except along each side, where 
they form a brond stripe, the under side being entirely denuded; it is black and shining, with 
the sutures dull yellowish. At its tip are three appendages, longer than the last rings of the 
abdomen. The two lower ones aro broad thick flattened processes of a dull brownish yellow 
color, with their tips rounded and slightly bent inwards towards each other. The upper ono 
is a slender blaok shining hook or claw of the same length, its tip sharp-pointed and curved 
downward. Abovo these appendages and hiding them from view is a brush of black hairs, 
forming a conical tuft at the end of the abdomen, blunt at its apex. The legs are more or less 
denuded of scales, black and shining, with the hind shanks thicker towards their tips and with 
two pairs of spurs, the forward shanks having only a single spine which is placed on the mid¬ 
dle of their inner sides, the same as in other moths ; and the feet are compressed, and fivo- 
jointed, with the basal joint longest and the following ones successively shorter. Tho foro 
icings are black with groups of whitish scales forming gray spots or clouds which are netted 
with black lines, varying greatly in different individuals. Often a transverse gray spot is 
situated towards the base and another on tho anal angle, the outer and hind margins being 
gray alternated with black. The hind icings are black with their posterior half of a rich 
marigold yellow color bordered with a black line upon the hind margin, the yellow color being 
irregularly notched on its anterior side and narrowed to the inner angle, and not extended to 
the outer ungle, the two outer cells being black. The outer or anterior margin, except at its 
base and tip, is usually gray alternated with transverse black streaks and blotches, and in¬ 
side of this is a large ash-gray spot occupying the outer anterior part of the disk. Tho under 
■ides of both wings is similar to their upper surface. 
The female would not be supposed to pertain to the same species with the male, her size 
is so much larger, her colors so much paler gray, and her hind wings being wholly destitute of 
the bright yellow coloring which forms so conspicuous a mark in tho other sox. The branches 
of her antenna) arc also shorter, being but about four times as long as thick. The ground 
color of her fore wings is gray, variously netted with black lines dividing the gray in places 
into small roundish spots and into rings having black centres. Tho black color usually form* 
a broad irregular band across tho middle of the wings parallel with the hind margin, and an¬ 
other between this and tho hind edge, chiefly on the outer half of the wing, tho hind edge 
and fringe being whitish alternated with black spots placed on tho tips of the veins. Tho 
hind wings arc dusky gray and towards their bases blackish, their posterior half being feebly 
transparent and faintly netted with darker lines. The body is densely coated with gray 
scales, its under side hoary white; and the legs are gray with black bands on tho shanks and 
black feet with gray rings at their articulations. 
We have but a single suggestion to make upon the subject of remedies 
against this truly formidable though fortunately rare enemy. It is proba¬ 
ble that soft soap applied the fore part of June to the bodies of trees will 
be equally efficacious against this and other borers as it is against that of 
the apple tree. This remedy may well be resorted to, to protect the locusts 
and oaks which we value as ornamental trees ; and scarce and valuable as 
timber is becoming in all the older settled sections of our country, I doubt 
not it will be found to be good economy to bestow similar attention upon 
the more valuable trees standing in our forests. 
It should also be observed that whenever a hole made by a borer is dis¬ 
covered in the trunk of a tree, it should be immediately closed by inserting 
a plug therein, to exclude the wet which will otherwise be admitted hereby 
to the interior of the tree and produce a decay .of the surrounding wood. 
294. Oak Cossus, Cossus Qucrciperda, now species. 
A moth smaller in size than C. HobinicB, with thin and slightly trans¬ 
parent wings which are crossed by numerous black lines, the outer margin 
