644 DERMESTID ZA. 
The species of Dermestes are carried about to a large extent by commerce, and the 
localities in which specimens are found are of little interest; but it is remarkable that 
we have not received D. carnivorus from Panama, though the insect is very abundant 
in Mexico. 
According to the very large series before me this is an extremely variable species. 
The most highly-coloured forms have the pubescence on the sides and front of the 
thorax white, in sharp contrast to the large triangular patch of black pubescence on 
the disc; and the elytra more or less broadly red at the base. As another extreme 
form, we may mention one in which the upper surface is black, covered with 
uniform grey pubescence. Between the two extremes we have numerous varieties, and 
it is probable that some of these have been described as distinct species. The 
synonymy of these forms of Dermestes is so questionable a matter that it cannot be 
dealt with here; but reference may be made to Reitter’s remarks?, which were 
apparently unknown to Jayne when he published his paper on North-American 
Dermestide. Reitter? records D. sobrinus as occurring in Mexico, and I think it 
possible he may refer to one of the varieties of this protean insect. He relies on the 
colour of the sides of the metasternum to distinguish D. sobrinus. But the colour of 
the under surface is very variable in some of the forms of D. carnivorus. The speci- 
mens described by Fabricius were reputed to have been captured in Australia and 
New Zealand. 
4. Dermestes vulpinus, 
Dermestes vulpinus, Fabr. Spec. Ins. i. p. 64°; Erichson, Ins. Deutschl. iii. p. 426°. 
Hab. Fere ubique. 
This species has been widely distributed by commerce, and is sometimes found in 
extraordinary profusion in cargoes of bones. It is common in our region, where it 
varies greatly. A variety with uniformly distributed grey pubescence is the Dermestes 
canus of Sturm, according to a specimen from his cabinet in Sallé’s collection. This 
variety resembles almost exactly the unicolorous form of J. carnivorus alluded to 
above, so that the two were mixed together by Sallé under the name of D. canus. 
D. vulpinus may be distinguished from all our other species by the minute spines at 
the apex of the elytral suture, and by the male having only one pencil of pubescence 
on the ventral plates. 
5. Dermestes cadaverinus. 
Dermestes cadaverinus, Fabr. Syst. Ent. p. 55"; Erichson, Ins. Deutschl. ii. p. 4307; Jayne, 
Proce. Am. Phil. Soc. xx. p. 353 (1882) * 
Hab. Norra America, Florida ?.—Mexico?, Puebla (Sadlé), Morelia, Vera Cruz 
(Hoge); British Honpuras, Rio Hondo (Blancaneaur).—SiBERIA (coll. Sharp). 
This is easily distinguished from the other species here enumerated by the more 
