I02 Second Report on Economic Zoology. 



with the disease, and that the cellars at Buckingham Palace are also 

 infected." 



The following insects besides the Cork Moth have since been 

 found either to attack or to be present, living on the devastating 

 insects in corks. 



The beetles or Coleoptera found are : — 



I. Rhizophagtbs hipustulatus, F. 



This has been found in corks brought from Burgundy. These 

 beetles, of which there are sixteen European species, normally feed 

 under the bark of trees and at sap, and mostly prey upon other 

 larvte. Some species seem to feed upon fungi. I fancy the one 

 recorded here as attacking corks (which is normally found under 

 bark) was in the corks, either feeding upon the moth caterpillars (0. 

 V-flavo) or fungi that attack the cork. 



The larviie of this genus are depressed and the head is narrow. 

 Head and prothorax are usually reddish and the other segments are 

 reddish on their basal half, whitish on their apical half except the 

 last segment, which is entirely ferrugiiious, and furnished on its upper 

 surface with two tubercles. Behind, the last segment is divided into 

 two lobes, each of which terminates in three strong teeth variously 

 arranged in the different species ; on the upper side is a small anal 

 appendage, which is used for progression. Most of these larvae 

 apparently prey upon other larvte. 



The pupae are long and narrow, white in colour and have long 

 silky hairs on the vertex and at the sides. 



II. Dcrmcstes vidpinns (The Larder Beetle) 



Cork is frequently attacked by this species. A whole ship's 

 cargo was destroyed by vast numbers of this beetle and its larvte. 



III. Tenehrio molitcr and T. ohscurus (Mealworms). 

 Both these beetles have been accused of devouring corks. 



IV. Mycctcea hirfa, Mai'sli. 



This small beetle is common in cellars, especially old wine- 

 cellars, where it feeds upon fungoid growths on the walls, etc. It is 

 accused of attacks on corks in bottles. Its length is one-sixteenth of 

 an inch, pale chestnut to reddish-brown, with rows of large deep 

 punctures on the elytra, the whole surface is clothed with scanty 

 long coarse hairs ; the thorax with the sides rounded, with a curved 



