228 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



range — kills directly all reached by the powder, and I should recommend 

 the same for silk dresses or the closets and drawers in which they are 

 stored. Concerning valuable engravings, I would cover the backs of those 

 framed with common paper fastened on with a paste mixed with insect 

 powder or tincture. I consider, therefore, Lepisma as not dangerous 

 when proper care is taken to prevent the danger. 



The most dangerous enemies to papers and books are the white ants, 

 the Termites, because they destroy everything and avoid the daylight, 

 when they work. As I had before this the pleasure of delivering a coin- 

 munication on this subject, I will give only some additional facts which 

 have come to my knowledge during late years. The common white ants 

 of the United States are to be found everywhere, from Manitoba down to 

 the Gulf of Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. In the moun- 

 tains in Colorado, Washington Terr, and Nevada, they ascend to 5000, 

 and even above 7000 feet. It is of course not possible to exterminate 

 them, but they must behave if they intend to live together with man. 

 Their depredations should not exceed certain limits allowed to them. 

 Everybody is accustomed not to forget for one moment the precautions 

 necessary to protect his property against destruction by fire, and if the 

 same precautions were taken and not for one moment forgotten, against 

 the destruction by white ants, I think all that men are able to do would 

 have been done. Of course, very valuable property we are accustomed 

 to shield by fire-proof buildings, and similar caution will be necessary to 

 protect very valuable property, i. e., libraries, against white ants. Build- 

 ings should be stone or brick, and all stumps or roots of trees taken out 

 of the bottom of the cellars to a depth of six feet before the cellar floor 

 is carefully cemented. Outside the building should be surrounded by a 

 deep open area ; no flower beds, shrubs, ivy, as the necessary manure is 

 the greatest attraction for white ants. 



Large cities are certainly in less danger, at least some parts of them. 

 I am sure that all that is called Back-bay in Boston, will be free from 

 white ants, if they are not brought in by nice parks and similar fineries. 

 The older parts of Boston are by no means free from the pest, but for 

 palpable reasons the owners of infected property do not like to speak of 

 such things. Their presence in the State House, in the so-called Dungeon, 

 was noted in the papers four years ago. As nothing has been done to 

 prevent the pest from entering other parts of the building, it is very pro- 



