184 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Tliere was a little fire burning in a low grate, and into this I began 

 throwing the insect debris. As I tried to pick up some of the slippery 

 Anthrenus larvae I noticed among them what seemed to be tiny brown 

 ants. I had never seen any ants in the cedar-closet, so wetting my finger 

 I lifted one of the little creatures and dropped it into a poison bottle. 

 When it was quiet I took it out and examined it with my magnifying 

 glass. It was no ant, but — what was it? I had never seen anything 

 resembling it. Indeed, for a time I was not sure even to what order it 

 belonged. Was it hemipterous, hymenopterous, coleopterous, or what? 

 I put a half dozen specimens into the bottle, and a little later mounted 

 two of them on a card triangle and sent them to Mr. Liebeck, in 

 Philadelphia, for identification. At this juncture I felt no excitement, 

 not much curiosity. Though quite unfamiliar to me, the species was 

 probably well known to experienced entomologists as a museum pest ; 

 thus I thought to myself. But next day came a postal from Mr, Liebeck. 

 He did not recognize my capture ; had seen nothing like it ; had it not 

 been introduced with some of my specimens from South Florida ? he 

 asked. '• It is a very curious insect, apterous, you see. Though provided 

 with jaws and elytra, the usual characteristics of coleoptera, its antennse 

 seem very peculiar ones for a beetle. But I will examine it further 

 and report." Thus he wrote, and I began to feel the first thrill of interest. 

 This certainly could not be a familiar museum pest if such an experienced 

 entomologist as Mr. Liebeck failed to recognize it. I went back to my 

 box of infested moths and sought more specimens of the cunning little 

 pest, securing about twenty specimens. These I carried with me to the 

 mountains when I went there the latter part of May. Soon after my 

 arrival in Franconia I sent specimens to Mr. Frederick Blanchard, and he 

 wrote concerning them : " These beetles are very queer indeed ; I 

 haven't at present the slightest idea what tliey are related to. They 

 reminded me at first sight of certain small Hemiptera. I hope to send 

 you something further about them before very long." 



A fortnight later Mr. Blanchard wrote again : " The very remarkable 

 little beetle which you found devouring your specimens with Anthrenus is 

 still an interrogation. I can, so far, find nothing at all like it in any of my 

 boxes. A week ago I sent sketches with details, asking Henshaw's aid, 

 but I haven't a word from him yet. The beetle is so very peculiar it 

 should be easily identified if well known. The antennae appear to be 

 entire and alike in both specimens, but with only nine joints, 3-5 being 



