COMMON STEEL-BLUE SIREX. 
87 
ance of the woods and coppices, of which they formed a striking 
ornament. 
“ Three-fourths of the Silver Firs maybe counted as already dead; 
the residue are in a moribund state. Three of the trees in the most 
southerly belt of plantation standing in a line equidistant from each 
other all leafless and dead.Nothing short of cutting down the 
whole of the trees and burning the wood would seem to obviate the 
danger of the ravages of this destructive pest extending to other species 
of the Pine family in the grounds. In a block of the damaged wood 
measuring 14 in. in length by 8 in. in diameter which was forwarded 
to Mr. Mosley, he counted thirty-three perforations from which perfect 
insects had made their escape.”—W. H. 
The extraordinary power of the jaws of this species (the S. juvencus) 
is recorded by Dr. E. L. Tasclienberg in the case of a female in his • 
possession, which had made its way through a piece of lead-covering at 
Freiburg ;* but I never met with a similar case myself until last 
summer, when I was favoured with the following observation by Mr. 
Montagu H. C. Palmer, of the Manor House, Newbury. This was 
sent with specimens of the S. juvencus accompanying, and is very 
interesting, as in this instance we have the full record of the Sirex- 
tunnel leading up to the perforation in the lead pipe, and also of the 
presence of the insect. 
Mr. Palmer wrote me that this Sirex occurred at a village near 
Newbury, where some water-pipes had been laid, and he enclosed 
specimens from the wood which was close to these leaden pipes, 
adding:—“The most interesting part is, the leaden pipes have been 
pierced in several places quite an eighth of an inch thick, and have 
caused much damage.” 
On September 18th Mr. Palmer further noted that some specimens 
of the Sirex had been caught on the wing ; and in reply to my enquiries 
he mentioned:—“ I am quite certain it was caused by the Sirex. . . . 
I have the piece of pipe with the hole in it; not only this, but the fly 
was in the hole, the pipe resting on the wood, the hole along which 
the insect has come corresponding to the one in the pipe. Not only 
this, but there were three or four holes in the pipe exactly the same.” 
—M. H. C. P. 
The specimens sent me were of various sizes, and some noted at 
p. 86 were stunted so completely down to the smallest recorded size of 
this variable species that it pointed to the buried wood having been 
very ill-adapted to their healthy development. 
About the middle of September specimens of some very fine females 
of this same species (the Common Steel-blue Sirex) were sent me by 
Mr. R. H. Eden, of Hillhampton House, Stourport. He mentions 
* ‘ Praktische Insekten Kunde,’ P. II., p. 368. 
