216 HOUSEHOLD INSECTS 



On the other hand, Garman says he has become con- 

 vinced that these insects feed upon animal matter and 

 cites an instance of some velox photographic prints from 

 which the film had been removed by them in patches while 

 the starch used in mounting the prints had remained un- 

 touched. In attempting to catch the depredators, baits 

 of starch and sugar, both moist and dry, were set for them, 

 but not the slightest attention was given to these food 

 products by the insects. On the other hand, bits of white 

 glue alone and dusted with Paris green, when placed about, 

 were readily devoured by the pests. Moreover, the dead 

 bodies of fish-moths were eagerly eaten by their living 

 comrades. Taking these observations, as a whole, 

 Garman is inclined to believe that these insects have a 

 fondness for animal food and that they attack book bind- 

 ings, gummed labels, and so on, mainly, for the animal 

 matter contained in the glue on them. It must be stated, 

 however, that the great majority of writers on these insects 

 hold that they eat vegetable matter and they certainly do, 

 at times. 



Hagen brings together considerable evidence to prove 

 that Lepisma shows a decided taste for starchy matter. 

 He says, "If we tabulate all the facts, we find directly that 

 all damage, except those to paper and its combinations, 

 have been inflicted on silks, clothing, and muslin curtains 

 which were invariably starched or finished with some 

 stiffening size, making them more easily eaten or eroded. 

 Secondly, the backs of books may have been more or less 

 seriously injured. But just here paste had been used in 

 quantity." 



Book bindings are often badly scarred and scraped by 

 these insects in their efforts to obtain the included glue or 



