ZOOLOGY. 353 



Among {lie Thysauura, the Lepisma f,acchariua, wliicii is found in 

 closets, &c., where provisions are kei)t, feeds also on i)aper, but leuA'es 

 untouched that which is covered by printing-ink. Tliis species was not 

 known till lately to be at all injurious to paper or books. 



Of the iS'euro])tera, the termites are injurious to paper and books as 

 well as to many other substances. 



Of the Orthoptera, as is well known, the cockroaches (Blattidaj) 

 frequently commit considerable ravages. 



Of the Lepidoptera the caterpillars of Aglossa pinguinalis and Beprcs- 

 saria frequently do damage by spinning their webs between the vol- 

 umes, and also by gnawing the paper with which they form their cocoons. 



Among the beetles are several species. The HypotUenemus eru(Utu8, 

 a very minute species, excavates tiny burrows within tbe binding. The 

 death-watches {Anohium pertinax and Anohium striatum) surpass iu 

 their ravages all other species, guawiug and boring not only through 

 the pages of the volumes, but also through the binding. One instance 

 is recorded where 27 folio volumes, placed together on a shelf, had been 

 so completely drilled, that a string might be run through the hole made. 



As an antidote to and preventive of the attacks of these insects, 

 vaporization is suggested. The infected volumes may be placed in a 

 large glass case made as close as possible, and therein likewise may be 

 set small saucers containing benzine, or a sponge saturated with carbolic 

 acid. "A strong infusion of colocynth and quassia, chloroform, spirits 

 of turpentine, expressed juice of green w^alnuts, and pyroligneous acid 

 have also been employed successfully. Fumigation on a large scale may 

 also be adopted, by filling the room with fumes of brimstone, prussic acid, 

 or benzine ; or an infected volume may be placed under the bell-glass 

 of an air-jjump, and extracting the air, the lar^a; will be found to be 

 killed after an hour's exhaustion." * 



DESTRUCTION OF INSECTS BY FUNGI. 



It may be recalled that at the Portland (1873) meeting of the Ameri- 

 can Association for the Advancement of Science, Dr. Le Coute suggested 

 that an efiScient mode of checking the devastations of the insects injuri- 

 ous to agriculture might be the "pi'oduction of diseases" from parasitic 

 fungous growths. He mentioned, without particularizing, " an instance 

 in which from the communication of the disease by some silk-worms, the 

 whole of the cateriDillars in a nine-acre piece of woods were destroyed." 

 The same proposition has been entertained and advocated by various 

 other writers, for example, Ilagen, Bail, &c. 



Experiments have been made upon various forms, and lately on potato- 

 beetles. Those inoculated with the fungous disease died in from eight 

 to twelve days, while others in the same room, but which were not so 



*Hagen(lI.). Schiidlichc lusecteu dnrcli cleu Hefeupilz zu toclter. Zool. Atiz., vol. 

 iii, p. 185. — The Destructiou of luaect iiestsLy applicatiou of yeast. Nature, vol. xxi, 

 p. 611. 



S. Mis. 31 23 



