The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-12

the course OF a bug Indicated with black lines.
One pair hangs between the reading room and
the music room. About a month ago the Jcr-
seyman's wife noticed Just beneath the ends OF
the strings OF reeds little piles Of a very fine
cresm-coiored powder. She wondered at this,
but had the powder swept up and thought moth
ing more about it until q day or two later. when
she found fresh piles OF powder. Then she exam
ined the ~portieres and found the powders source.
At every joint Of the strings Of reed the same
sort OF powder was in sight. and q shake Of the
curtains brought down q shower Of it. 1t was
clear that some kind OF insect was at work with
in the joints OF reed.
Every day the piles Of powder were swept up,
and each day new piles were produced Up to q
few days ago there was no other outward sign
of the work OF destruction which was going on
within the reeds. Then it was observed that
here and there in many Of the lengths Of reeds
little holes were appearing through the outside.
and once in u while q curiously pretty tiny fly
was seen crawling on the reeds. The holes were
round, and not bigger than a good. sized pin hole,
and the dies were slender and able 70 crawl
easily through such holes.
Now it was considered time TO make a more
careful investigation of the reeds String after
string Of them was cut down. unsrrung. and
then the reeds were split and examined. The
%portieres seemed to be composed OF two kinds OF
reed One very smooth and grass-ltke on the
outside, and so thick that the hole through it
vas only about one-third OF the size of the
whole diameter The body OF this reed showed
a coarser texture at the ends than did the other
one. None Of the insects had attacked this kind
OF cane. The other kind OF reed shows an
outer surface finely corrugated lengthwtse.
and with n dull surface, and the opening
through It measures lust ABOUT one-haIf the di-
ameter or the whole reed. The material or the
reed 10 hne-grained and irm, and in this the
insect seems 10 revel. one curious thing was
the preference which the insects seemed to
show for one Of the rolors in which the reeds
were dyed. There were lengths OF reed dyed
red. and others of blue, brown, and green. The
Insects evidently preferre! the green ones. and
the grerner the reeds the better they seemed to
like them. When the bits OF reed we're
came out OF each, hut it was when they were
split open that The work Of The insect was made
most manifest. From end 70 end the pieces OF
reed were mere shells, Between the inner coat
ing and the silicions outer part of the reed the
until in many cases these burrows met each
other almost everywhere. and the inner skin
came out almost Ike a separate tune.
The principal work OF making these burrows
seemed 20 have been done by a grub, but no
grubs were found. The hrst Insects which were
discovered were some complete and beautiful
lace wing fies which we're seen moving around
.rsety within the F Ts.. t mo. Sp ss lust
than ono-eighth Of an incn In length, and under
a naxnlfying glass they we're very pretty:
Their legs and antennse were long and
Ilender. The anteRn!n we're black. while
the legs were brown. hut Almost Transparent
Their heads were cherry red and their bodies
brown. but this brown was ylrisgated with every
change OF position by sheeulng colors OF metallic
blue and green The one pair Of lace-like wings
ware prettily veinsd. and, besides, there was a
black spot on the outer edge OF each wing. In
the burrows was found another form Of the in
sect. This was without wings, and through the
glass might easily have been mistaken for a
brown Mly bug. except that IL u more slender.
II seemed TO be the insect IN an imperfect form
but still able 10 burrOw, for It's head was armed
with strong mandiDias. In the dust from the
cones were found some very ugly brown casts,
thrown of by the grubs when these made their
change OF form, ana II Theses resemble the gruhA
the worm must be unpleasant to look upon.
Only the one set OF pOrrlsreS has been attacked
az yet, but a watch is being kept upon the others.
The etes described are believed to be- the females.
The male was u little more wasp like in shape,
and instead of the metallic col0rs on the body its
abdomen waa strongly marked with four alter
nate Transverse stripes OF black and yellow.