92 Forty-first Report on the State Museum. 



list of druofs, in which it has been reported as occurring, by Mr. Wm. 

 E. Saunders, of London, Ontario, viz. : Aconite root, bitter almonds, 

 sweet almonds, angelica, boneset, calumba, chamomile, chocolate, 

 coriander, dandelion, elm bark, ergot, extract of licorice, German 

 chamomile, orris root, prince's jDine, rhubarb, squill, and sweet flag. 

 {Canadian Entomologist, 1883, xv., p. 81.) 



It is also reported as feeding on collections of dried plants, collec- 

 tions of insects, cork in insect cases, binding of books, wafers, ginger, 

 cantharides, stored wheat, flour, stale bread, ship biscuit, barley meal, 

 oatmeal, beads made of a certain paste, etc. According to Dr. Packard, 

 it is occasionally parasitic on honey-bees. 



Will Probably not Become a Lieather Pest. 

 From the above statements, length of time during which the sj^ecies 

 has been known, its extensive distribution, and its almost omnivorous 

 habits, the inference may safely be drawn that this beetle will never 

 present itself as a serious leather pest unless it shall be permitted to 

 continue a local attack and multiply itself without efforts made for its 

 arrest. In the greatly extended range of its food, there are many 

 substances upon which it would feed in preference. 



How its Attack on Shoes may be Arrested. 

 An attack by it on boots and shoes in stores can be arrested by 

 the means published in my former communication. If but a few 

 shoes are found to be infested, the insect, in any of its four stages in 

 which it may be present, may be killed by oiling the leather with a 

 sufficient quantity of kerosene to permit of its penetration so as to 

 reach the insect. Kerosene is an infallible insecticide in all cases 

 where it may be safely apj^lied. 



Another Leather-eating Beetle. 

 Associated with Sitodrepa panicea in Figure 37, is another beetle, 

 Ptinus hrunneus Duftsch, the larva of which has shown a peculiar 

 fondness for leather, especially when it has been used in the binding 

 of books. Dr. Shimer has written of its operations in his library, in 

 the American Entomologist, ii, 1870, p. 322, as follows: 



They usuallj'^ operate in leather-bound or half-bound volumes, by 

 boring galleries along in the leather where it is joined to the back of 

 the leaves of the book; most frequently about the lineal angle formed 

 by the board-back, and the edge of the back of the leaves. Sometimes 

 they are in the middle of the back, or about its corners. They 

 usually bore along quite under the surface of leather, cutting it 

 almost through; occasionally a small round hole penetrates through 

 the leather to the outer surface. The galleries are filled with the 

 debris. Sheep-bound books seem to be their favorite resort. 



