218 HOUSEHOLD INSECTS 



and is covered with minute silvery scales. On account of 

 the covering of scales, it is almost impossible to catch an 

 individual without crushing or greatly damaging it. As 

 one correspondent said, "I have never been able to get 

 one, as they are extremely quick in motion and when killed 

 are crushed." Like all other insects it has six legs which, 

 although not abnormally long, yet are powerful and 

 enable it to run very swiftly for so small an animal. The 

 two "feelers," or antennae, are very long, slender, and 

 conspicuous. Moreover, at the posterior end of the body 

 are three, long, slender, bristle-shaped projections, the 

 middle one extending straight backward and the other 

 two extending to the right and left at considerable angles. 

 It has biting mouth-parts consisting of two pairs of 

 jaws. 



One of the earliest notices of this insect occurs in a book 

 called " Micrographia, " written by R. Hooke, and pub- 

 lished in London by the Royal Society in 1665. The 

 following quaint description of the fish-moth is given : 

 " It is a small white Silver-shining Worm or Moth, which I 

 found much conversant among Books and Papers, and is 

 suppos'd to be that which corrodes and eats holes through 

 leaves and covers; it appears to the naked eye a small 

 glittering Pearl-coloured Moth, which, upon the removing 

 of Books and Papers in the Summer, is often observ'd 

 very nimbly to scud, and pack away to some lurking 

 cranney, where it may the better protect itself from any 

 appearing dangers. Its head appears big and blunt and 

 its body tapers from it towards the tail smaller and smaller, 

 being shap'd almost like a carrot." Although we think of 

 this as a rather crude description, yet it is sufficiently clear 

 to enable us to recognize the insect under discussion and, 



