66 NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS. 



fasten in each corner of the box a pin with a small 

 piece of sponge attached to it, which may be saturated 

 from time to time with the same fluid, or with spirits 

 of camphor. The latter, however, cannot be used 

 in cases which contain Butterflies, as the evaporation 

 of camphor will make their colours fade. The cases 

 themselves, as a matter of course, should be made 

 as tight as possible, in order to prevent the. entrance 

 of any living insect. 



The larva of the Cabinet-beetle is two lines in 

 length, and has on each side of the body little bundles 

 of reddish-brown hairs, which, when disturbed, it erects 

 in the same manner as the Porcupine does its quills. 

 These larvae are sometimes seen upon our walls 

 looking out for dead insects. 



The Carrion-heetles (Silphce) have a broad body, 



with a shield-like thorax, upon which is a declining 



head, with strong jaws, and with antennae terminating 



in a knob. A great number of species are found 



everywhere in North America, among which are, for 



instance, the 



Silpha marginalia, 



" insequalis, 



" SwrinaiiHMisis, 



" Americana, etc. 



but as the habits and character of one species are 

 identical with all the others, the representation and 

 description of one will serve for all the rest. 



