28 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Silver fish, bristle tail or fish moth' 



This peculiar, elusive insect is frequently the subject of inquiry 

 by careful housekeepers. It is rather common about houses 

 though rarely seen. It is about | of an inch long, silvery gray 

 and tapering. Perfect specimens have very long antennae and 

 three equally long appendages at the posterior extremity. 



Habits. This insect feeds upon farinaceous matter such as the 

 sizing of paper, starch, paste etc. It has even been known to eat 

 off the face of museum labels to such an extent as to render them 

 illegible. It thrives best in places where there is comparatively 

 little disturbance and is therefore rarely numerous in houses having 

 few crevices and no storeroom where articles are allowed to 

 remain undisturbed for months or even years at a time. 



Control measures. This insect, if abundant, can be controlled 

 to best advantage, according to Mr Marlatt, by slipping into their 

 haunts pieces of paper liberally treated with a thick, boiled, starchy 

 paste poisoned with arsenic. This material should be used with 

 extreme care and placed only where there is no danger of children 

 getting hold of the poison. Ordinarily the dusting of this insect's 

 haunts with fresh pyrethrum powder, followed by thorough clean- 

 ing, is preferable to the employment of an arsenical poison. Dam- 

 age is most likel}'- to occur in comparatively moist places or where 

 articles are allowed to remain undisturbed for a year or more. 



Book louse 



This is a pale louselike insect- only -A of an inch long and fre- 

 quently designated as the " death watch " because of the peculiar 

 ticking sound it makes. This latter is supposed to predict an 

 early death in the family. An allied species^ has similar habits 

 and is considered to be the true " death watch." Both of these 

 species, as well as allied forms, live upon vegetable matter and 

 occasionally may become very abundant. There have been 

 several records of this insect issuing in enormous numbers from 

 mattresses stuffed with hair, corn husks or straw. An infestation 

 of this kind can be controlled best by removing and burning the 

 infested mattress. The apartment then should be thoroughly 

 cleaned. 



'Lepisma domestica Pack. 

 ^Atropos divinatoria Fabr. 

 ^Clothilla pulsatoria Linn. 



