178 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



thus infer that the infested red pepper came from that place. On this and 

 various other points connected with the economy of this species, Dr. 

 Fletcher will no doubt be able to furnish further information. 



Various Ptinid beetles, e. g., Ptinus fur, Sitodrepa panicea^ Lasio- 

 derma serricorjie, are very fond of red pepper, and the occurrence of 

 Trigonogenius in this substance is therefore not surprising, but it brings 

 up another point for consideration. All insects which we find in this 

 country living in groceries, drugs, etc., are of foreign origin, or at least do 

 not belong to the Nearctic fauna. The insects native to North America 

 do not seem to be able, or are not inclined, to adopt this mode of life, and 

 thus it may be questioned whether Trigonogenius fardiis really belongs 

 to our fauna. Its general appearance certainly bespeaks a foreign origin. 

 The genus Trigonogenius, as restricted by recent authors, contains only 

 tvvo described species : T. globuhim, Sol., from Chili, and T. sqiialidus, 

 Boield., from New Grenada*, and upon comparing the original descriptions 

 the identity of our species with T. globiiliim appears to me quite possible. 

 I have, however, not seen Solier's figure, and a comparison with the type 

 is apparently necessary to decide this question. 



The mere feeding of these beetles and their larvae cannot be said to 

 injure the red pepper, which does not lose its pungent quality by passing 

 through the bodies of insects. But should the Trigonogenius be very 

 numerous, the presence of the silken pupal cocoons would cause some 

 inconvenience and loss. 



While speaking of imported Ptinidfe, I would add that at least tvvo 

 Old World species are most likely to find their way to North America 

 sooner or later. One is JViptus griseo/iiscus, DeGeer (Fiijius crenatus, 

 Fabr.), which appears to be a native of Europe, where it commonly 

 occurs in old straw in cellars and stables. The other species is Niptiis 

 hololeuais, readily known by the appressed golden-yellow pubescence 

 covering the entire body. It is probably a native of Asia Minor, whence 

 it was imported into Great Britain about sixty years ago. It occurs now 

 at many points in Western and Central Europe, not only living in all sorts 

 of spices and drugs, but also proving to be injurious in various ways. It 

 would be a most undesirable addition to our fauna. 



*The two species described and figured by Gorhain in Biol. Centr. Amer, are 

 certainly not congeneric with T, globuhim 



