104 Second Report on Economic Zoology. 



Moths or Lepidoptera. 



Besides the species mentioned on p. 100, two other small moth 

 larvae occur, namely, Tinea cloacella and Laverna lactcella, but not to 

 any extent. 



As seen in the following extract from the Transactions of the 

 Entomological Society of London (vol. i., p. 55 of the Proceedings, 

 1835), an Acarus (sp. ?), Atrojms lifpiarius, Termites and Blattida, 

 or Cockroaches, also attack corks. 



Account of the Attacks of Various Insects upon Wine Corlcs. 

 By S. S. Saundees, Esq., M.E.S. 



The author states that a friend having occasion to remove his stock 

 of wine from one cellar to another, found the corks of many of the 

 bottles injured so that the wine had leaked, occasionally so much 

 tjnly remaining as was retained in the hollow of the bottles when 

 lying down. The damage was confined to the bottles containing 

 Shiraz (a Persian %\dne), and some Hock, which had been twenty 

 years in the cellar. The corks of tliese bottles, although placed 

 apart, were injured, the intervening descriptions of wine being 

 untouched. On examining the corks, four species of insects were 

 found in them, Mycetwa Ivwta., CryptopJtagus ccUaris, a minute Acarus, 

 and Atropiis lir/ncrius. 



The Acarus was found in some abundance witliin the crevices 

 of the corks of both wines, and one specimen, which the authoi' 

 observed undisturbed for a length of time under a microscope, 

 appeared to be engaged in burrowing into the cork, for which 

 purpose the recurved claw- at the extremity of the anterior legs 

 appears adapted. The Atropos lignarius was not in any great 

 abundance, and was observed running about the outside of the corks, 

 none being found within them. Of the Crjiptopliagus ccllaris a single 

 specimen was alone observed among some corks which had been 

 extracted and placed in a box during several months. A single 

 specimen of Mycetceci hirta was likewise only observed, although in 

 the account which Mr. Curtis has published of this genus (to which 

 the author refeis) it is stated that they were found in considerable 

 abundance, and were also accompanied by a minute Acarus; the 

 damage to the corks being supposed by Mr. Curtis to be caused by 

 the lavva^ of a moth. 



It was further mentioned that the tops of the hock corks were 

 covered with a coating of wax ; but, as this did not extend down to 

 the bottle, serving only as a mark, it was not serviceable in 



