COLEOPTERA. 541 



in tight cases, so that these pests cannot gain access to them. 

 Specimens should not be left exposed except when in use. 

 And the entire collection should be carefully examined at 

 least once a month. The injury is done by the larvae, 

 which are small, plump, hairy grubs. Their presence is in- 

 dicated by a fine dust that falls on to the bottom of 

 the case from the infested specimens. These larvae 

 can be destroyed by pouring a small quantity of car- 

 bon bisulphide into the case, and keeping it tightly 

 closed for a day or two. Benzine poured on a bit of cotton 

 in the box will cause the pests to leave the specimens, when 

 they may be taken from the box and destroyed. But we 

 have found carbon bisulphide the better agent for the de- 

 struction of these pests. 



The Raspberry Fruit-worm, Byturns unicolor (By-tu'rus 

 u-ni-co'lor). The fruit of the red raspberry is often infested 

 by a small white worm, which clings to the inside of the 

 berry after it is picked. This is the larva of an oval, pale, 

 dull yellow beetle, which is densely clothed with 

 short, fine, gray hairs. The beetle is represented 

 enlarged in Figure 649 ; it measures about three 

 twentieths of an inch in length. This insect is also 

 injurious in the adult state, as it feeds on the bios- FlG ' 649- 

 soms of the raspberry. 



The family HISTERID^; (His-ter'i-dae) includes certain 

 easily recognized beetles which are found about carrion and 

 other decomposing substances. They are mostly small, 

 short, rounded, or somewhat square-shaped beetles, of a 

 shining black color, with the-wing covers marked by lines 

 of fine punctures and truncate behind, leaving two 

 segments of the abdomen exposed (Fig. 650). In 

 some species the wing-covers are marked with red. 

 FIG. 6 5 o. The family NITIDULTD.E (Nit-i-du'li-dae) com- 



prises small, somewhat flattened beetles. With many spe- 

 cies the prothorax has wide, thin margins, and the wing- 

 covers are more or less truncate, so as to leave the tip of the 



