34 JOURNAL OF THE [January, 



hyphge. Some of the latter assume the character of sporangia, 

 becoming filled with short bacilli. While no sexual process of 

 reproduction has been yet made out, other bodies, besides those 

 above described, are under examination, which seem to yield 

 spores within large capsules. From certain of the spores already 

 referred to, the original leptothrix is again developed. 



THE LARVA OF ATTAGENUS PELLIO, AND ITS 

 WONDERFUL ARMOR. 



BY DR. H. HENSOLDT. 

 {Read October e,th, 1888.) 



Attagenus pellio is a very small beetle, allied to the Dermesiidce, 

 of which at least a dozen species have been described. The 

 body of the beetle is oval, and almost entirely covered with short 

 hairs. The thorax is dark brown. The wings are of a lighter 

 brown, with six or more spots of the color of iron rust, while 

 the abdominal end again is dark brown. These beetles are by 

 no means rare, and most of the species appear to live on flowers, 

 nibbling the petals and stamens. They are found from early 

 Spring to the middle of June, when, after having deposited their 

 eggs, most of them die. All the species are characterized by 

 the peculiarity, that when disturbed they contract their antennae 

 and legs, and feign death. 



The larva is about one-eighth of an inch in length, and 

 slightly flattened and tapered towards the abdominal extremity. 

 The legs are short, and the head is very small. The larva lives 

 on decaying wood, but, like others of its type, it may be found 

 also amongst the dried skins of animals, in butterfly collections, 

 where it is a pest, and under carpets, old boxes, &c. It casts 

 its skin several times before changing into a pupa, and the 

 empty skins are of common occurrence in the places frequented 

 by the tiny creatures. 



The body of the larva is covered with hairs of three orders. 



In the first instance the abdomen ends in a long tail, or pencil 

 of hairs. These long hairs are furnished with an immense num- 

 ber of minute spines, closely appressed to the shaft. But they 

 present nothing very uncommon among insect hairs. 



