ORNITHOLOGIST 



— AND- 



00L0GI8T. 



81.00 per 

 Annum. 



PUBLISHED BY FRANK B. WEBSTER. 

 Estalilislied, March, IST.i. 



Single Copy 

 10 cents. 



Vol. XVI. 



HYDE PARK, MASS., JUNE, 1891. 



No. 6. 



Insects Injurious to Collections; 

 Their Prevention and Remedy. 



INTRODUCTION. 



In Hie tdllinviii"' series of articles the author 

 will endeavor to present a, likeness of svich 

 insects as prey upon our collections of natural 

 history specimens, anil offer such suggestions 

 upon their haliits, and the remedies for their 

 dei)redations, as shall enable the reader to 

 recognize their various forms wherever seen, 

 and be i)repared to guard against their attack.s. 



Let us understand from the (Uitset that 

 insects have four stages of growtli, viz: 



1 St. The egg. 



■2i\. The larva, shown at Fig. a in tlie illus- 

 tr:itioii. and which is ordinarily known as a 

 worm, caterpillar or grub, and in which f(um 

 it does the most of its feeding, and all of its 

 growth. 



3d. The pupa or chrysalis, which is a dnr- 

 iiiant stage, in which all the finer forces ai'e 

 silently c{)-operating to produce the jierfect 

 insect, which is scientifically known as 



4th. The imago, and commonly as a beetle, 

 bug, butterfly, moth, wasp, etc., and in which 

 stage the work of rei)roduction of its kin<l is 

 carried on. 



It is thus evident that one of the most neces- 

 sary features of the suliject is to understand 

 the ajjpearance of each form, and particularly 

 the larvai, since it is at this time that it is 

 most destructive, and it is reasonable to think 

 that, if the last and most commonly observed 

 form is seen, either the damage has been done 

 or the female is seeking for a place to lay her 

 eggs; in either case, immediate attention and 

 its destruction are eminently necessary. 



The presence of these little wretches is often 

 unnoticed until a feather in a bird is found 

 to be loose, and examination shows that it has 

 been eaten off; or a diminution in size, and a 

 ragged appearance of the feet, tarsi or mandi- 



bles is noticeable; or a little pile of dust 

 beneatli a dried insect draws attention to a 

 little hole in its under side, which is the abode 

 of a little liairy worm; or we find our sealskin 

 overcoat (not the author" s, for an editor, and 

 especially a bug-hunter, does not need such a 

 garment: the fire of his intellect keeps him 

 warm, and his pocket empty), or other cloth- 

 ing, bare in .spots, or filled with holes; or a 

 mat or carj)et throws off an extra amount of 

 lint when beaten or swept, or parts along the 

 line of a crack in the floor (the mark of the 

 buffalo beetle). In either case look out for 

 trouble. 



1. Till'. l?ri'F.\T.o Bro (Aiitlirrnvf: xcrnplni- 

 liiri(i). 



This is the latest enemy whi<di has been 

 introduced into this country, and it is rapidly 

 bect)mi ng accli m ated . 



It is a curious fact that over one-half of our 

 worst insect foes are not native American citi- 

 zens, but it makes no difference, they rapidly 

 become naturalized. 



This, the latest, is also the worst of the 

 crowd, since it attacks not only all the other 

 things that the other museum pests faviu', but 

 many others; it is truly omnivorous; and more 

 than all it laughs to scorn the ordinary insect- 

 icides. It chews tobacco like an old sailor, it 



Copyright, 18.11, Iiy FKANK B. WEB.'iTEK. 



