96 Second Report on Economic Zoology. 



depredations. They may exist almost anywhere, where they can 

 find food. 



In answer to another uommunication, in which the pest was 

 stated to have been found in the warehouse belonging to the firm, the 

 following answer was sent : — 



The beetles {Dcrmcstes lardarius and I), vvlpinvs) will breed and 

 live amongst any organic substances. They certainly may feed upon 

 paste, but I do not think it likely. It is almost impossible to say 

 where they breed without seeing the surroundings. Thorough 

 washing down with paraffin emulsion and then whitewashing would 

 probably do good, but for store pests I think fumigation most 

 successful. 



"Three methods are employed, (1) Burning Sulphur, (2) Hydro- 

 cyanic Acid Gas, (3) Bisulphide of Carbon. The second is most 

 successful, but has to be done carefully, the substances and fumes 

 being deadly poisons to man. 



" I enclose cutting from my report just appearing on this fumiga- 

 tion. Should you ol:»ject to use it, then fall back on burning 

 Sulphur." 



The beetles and larvae sent were kept witli the underclothing 

 returned from Japan and it was found that they eat small areas of 

 the woollen goods in the larval stage, but I could trace no damage 

 done by the adults. As a rule the damage was caused by the larvae 

 eating small elongated patches, which disfigured the material. They 

 bred readily in the articles sent. 



Furniture and Clothes Moths. 



A correspondent at Clapton, N.E., wrote that "a sofa covered 

 with a woollen fal)ric known as ' saddle-bags ' has had for some year 

 or so past certain bare patches, and only tlic other day I discovered 

 on the surface of the sofa some larvas of the (Jlothes Moths, which of 

 course I immediately destroyed. In spite of all due precautions I 

 have taken from time to time, viz., overhauling, Ijrushing and 

 placing insect powder in the crevices, the effects of the moth are 

 o-radually showing in other parts, and I am afraid of the covering of 

 other articles of furniture in the room being attacked Ijy this pest." 

 To certain questions the following reply was sent : — 

 " With regard to the Clothes Moth larvw that are damaging your 

 furniture, I imagine them to be the Tincola biselliella, of Hummel ; 

 in any case the treatment would be much the same for all three 

 species. With regard to your questions, I should advise spraying the 



