134 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



in another box of the same size, and their food moistened. In a few 

 days they were found to have pupated, the beetles emerging about ten 

 days thereafter. Their companions left unmoistened in the other box 

 never developed. This is sufficient demonstration. Their entering the 

 ground to pupate is exceptional, and the inference that they do so nor- 

 mally is erroneous. 



Anthrenus varius is quite innocent when compared with this pest, the 

 larva usually staying where the parent deposits the egg. But it is quite 

 otherwise with our T. ornata. The female oviposits wherever she finds 

 a dead fly, moth, or other insect ; and when the young, after hatching, 

 have devoured this, they travel off in every direction, gliding into boxes 

 through the minutest crevice, often effecting an entrance with their jaws. 

 Last summer a couple of small exchange boxes containing a few beetles 

 were wrapped in four thicknesses of paper and stowed away. Later, the 

 paper was found to be riddled with minute holes and these larvse were in 

 possession. An effectual mode to keep them out of boxes is to fold some 

 crystalized white napthaline in a paper and pin it in each box, renewing 

 it yearly. This preventive is reliable. I have some boxes made of Red 

 Cedar, in which there are open seams, but no museum pest ever enters 

 them. The introduction of this insect into my premises has been traced 

 to a lot of moths, crickets, etc., sent me from West Chester, in Eastern 

 Pennsylvania, and last year it had so increased as to give great annoyance. 

 Having observed its habits as above, I apphed vigorous treatment early 

 this season, which I am satisfied has resulted in its absolute annihilation. 

 As a knowledge of the method may be of advantage to some unfortunate 

 entomologist, the outlines are given. About the first of April I saturated 

 some two inches of the borders of the carpets around my rooms with a 

 solution of corrosive sublimate in alcohol — two drachms to the pint. 

 Then, in the corners and out-of-the-way places, powder and pill boxes 

 were placed containing dead flies, moths, and smaU insects. The beetles 

 oviposited in these, avoiding altogether such as occurred on the carpet 

 along the walls. About the first of June it was considered safe to remove 

 the traps and consign the whole to the flames. In connection with this, 

 all refuse material in boxes, etc., not insect proof, was destroyed, and 

 places that alcohol would not injure received a brushing with the solution. 

 Result — not a single larva has been observed this season. 



Physonota unipundata Say. Three years ago, in the month of July, 

 I found a colony of these beetles on the river bank feeding on Monarda 



