206 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE -GOSSIP. 



[Sept. 1, 1867. 



"HAIRS OF DERMESTES." 



"VrOTWTTHSTANDING the strictures to which 

 J-^l we were subjected for using the above title 

 on a former occasion, we have adopted it again, 

 because, though not absolutely correct, it is suffi- 

 ciently so for such a purpose, and having used it 

 before, it is advisable not to change it upon resum- 

 ing the same subject. Mr. S. J. M'Intire, who has 

 already contributed towards clearing the mystery 

 which enshrouded the source of the so-called " hairs 

 of Dermestes," during last month sent us the 

 following communication : — 



" I enclose two specimens of beetles bred from 

 larvae producing the hairs known as ' Hairs of 

 Dermestes.' The larger is the insect referred to in 

 my article in S.G., vol. i., page 230, and the smaller 

 one, which is a very pretty microscopic object (being 

 covered with scales like the Curculio family) is from 

 larvae found by Frank Blatch, Esq, in a wood-shed 

 on his premises at Theale, Berks. The individuals 

 he sent me, as well as the larvae from under the 

 elm-tree bark, fed while I kept them, upon the 

 dried-up remains of a butterfly, until they com- 

 pleted their transformations. Perhaps you will 

 kindly name both insects for the benefit of those 

 interested in the subject which has occupied some 

 space in the pages of SciENCE-Gossir." 



In consequence of this letter we wrote requesting 

 to be informed more minutely on certain particulars 

 ragarding these insects, which were embodied in a 

 second letter communicated to us by the same 

 gentleman. 



"1. The larva: of the large beetle were found under 

 the bark of an elm-tree at Ealing. One or two 

 small specimens that I obtained at the same time 

 have lived with me ever since and have grown con- 

 siderably ; they have also cast their skins, and the 

 halbert-shaped hairs on the new skins are far more 

 numerous than on the old ones. I have fed them 

 on entomological specimens. They seldom feed 

 while under microscopical observation, but that 

 they devour the food I have given them when shut 

 up iu the dark is obvious. 



" 2. The first larva of the small beetle that my 

 friend Mr. Batch sent me was found entangled in a 

 spider's web. Others he has since found on the 

 door, and various places besides in the same shed ; 

 and the perfect insects he obtains on the slabs. I 

 think they fed while I kept them on the body of a 

 hawk-moth ; at all events they took refuge in its 

 body, and effected their final change while inside it. 



"3. I send the exuviae of both insects mounted tem- 

 porarily to admit of close examination, and I think 

 you will find that there arc hairs attached still to 

 both skins. 



" I notice that the elm-tree larvae hairs are very 



much lighter in colour than those from the other 

 insect, in which they are of a deep brown. This 

 peculiarity is only noticeable in the living larva? 

 when the halbert-shaped hairs are very abundant." 



All that now remains for us to do is to give a 

 figure of the large beetle magnified (fig. 201), 

 which certainly appears to be Tiresias serra, the 

 larvae and hairs of which do not differ from those 

 figured from Mr. MTntire's drawings in Science- 

 Gossip for 1865, p. 230 (fig. 202). 



Fig. 20!. 



Fig. 202. 



Fig. 203. 



The smaller beetle corresponds with Anthrenus 

 varius, the hairs from the larvae of which are now 

 figured for comparison with those derived from 

 the larvae of the larger beetle (fig. 203). We have 

 before affirmed our belief that hairs, scarcely dis- 

 tinguishable from each other, might be obtained 

 from several ot the Dermestidae, and perhaps also 

 from the allied family of Mycetophagidae, and wc 

 do not suppose by any means that Tiresias serra, 

 Anthrenus varius, and Anthrenus inuscorum are the 

 only beetles the larvae of which yield the beautiful 

 hairs long known under the name of "Hairs of 

 Dermestes." Mr. S. J. MTntire deserves thanks 

 for his patient pursuit of this inquiry to a suc- 

 cessful termination. 



THE CHOLERA FUNGUS. 



IN the Standard of August 27th is an important 

 communication on this subject, from which we 

 are only able, at this late period, to give the follow- 

 ing extract ; — ■ 



" In the report of the medical officer of the Privy 

 Council just issued, an account is given of some 

 remarkable researches of Professor Hallier on this 

 important subject. Hallier believes that he has 

 discovered the active agent which causes cholera. 

 In examining the contents of the bowels in cholera, 

 this observer has noticed a very large amount of a 

 vegetable fungus in the shape of cells (or seed) and 

 filaments (or roots, as they may be termed). The 

 cells attach themselves to the remnants of any food 



iu 



