112 
C 0 L E 0 P T ERA. 
six black dots on the thorax, two above, and two on the 
sides ; and each of the angles between the branches and the 
lateral stripes of the wing-covers is marked with a blackish 
spot. The two hinder branches are oblique, and extend 
nearly or quite to the suture ; the anterior branch is short 
and hooked. Its average length is about half an inch ; but 
it varies from four to six tenths of an inch. The males are 
smaller than the females, but have longer antennae. 
This pretty beetle has been long known to me, but its 
habits were not ascertained till the year 1847. On the 19th 
of June, in that year, Theophilus Parsons, Esq. sent me 
some fragments of bark and insects which were taken by 
Mr. J. Richardson from the decaying elms on Boston Com- 
mon ; and, among the insects, I recognized a pair of these 
beetles in a living state. My curiosity was immediately 
excited to learn something more concerning these beetles and 
their connection with the trees, but was not satisfied by a 
partial examination made in the course of the summer. It 
was not till the following winter, that an opportunity was 
afforded for a thorough search, with the permission of the 
Mayor, the Hon. Josiah Quincy, Jun., and with the help of 
the Superintendent of the Common. 
The trees were found to have suffered terribly from the 
ravages of these insects. Several of them had already been 
cut down, as past recovery ; others were in a dying state, 
and nearly all of them were more or less affected with disease 
or premature decay. Their bark was perforated, to the height 
of thirty feet from the ground, with numerous holes, through 
which insects had escaped ; and large pieces had become so 
loose, by the undermining of the grubs, as to yield to slight 
efforts, and come off in flakes. The inner bark was filled 
with the burrows of the grubs, great numbers of which, in 
various stages of growth, together with some in the pupa 
state, were found therein ; and even the surface of the wood, 
in many cases, was furrowed with then.’ irregular tracks. 
Very rarely did they seem to have penetrated far into the 
