140 INSECTS AT HOME, 



under the overhanging thorax. Their legs can be packed 

 closely to the body, and the tarsi have five joints. The genus 

 Anobium, of which there are eleven British species, has the 

 three last joints of the antennse rather longer than the others, 

 and the last joint egg-shaped. 



The various species of this genus work terrible havoc among 

 furniture, in which they produce the defect that is popularly 

 known by the name of ' worm-eaten.' They are not in the 

 least particular as to their diet, and will devour almost any 

 kind of food. They seem to have a special appetite for weapons 

 and implements made by savages, as I know to my proper 

 cost, sundry Kaffir articles being absolutely riddled with the 

 burrows of these tiny Beetles, and not to be handled without 

 pouring out a shower of yellow dust, caused by the ravages of 

 the larva. The most complete wreck which they made was 

 that of a New Guinea bow, which was channelled from end to 

 end by them, and in many places they had left scarcely any- 

 thing but a very thin shell of wood. 



In such cases I have but one remedy, namely, injecting into 

 the holes spirits of wine in which corrosive sublimate has been 

 dissolved. This is not so tedious a business as it may seem to 

 be, as the spirit will often find its way from one hole to another, 

 so that, if half a dozen holes be judiciously selected, the poison 

 will penetrate the whole piece of wood, kill all the insect in- 

 habitants, and render it for ever impervious to their attack. 

 The above-mentioned bow cost me but little trouble. I first 

 shook out the greater part of the yellow powder, and then, 

 placing the bow perpendicularly, injected the spirit into several 

 holes at the upper end. The effect was magical. The little 

 Beetles came out of the holes in all directions, and not one 

 survived the touch of the poisoned spirit ; many of them, 

 indeed, dying before they could force themselves completely 

 out of the holes. They will also eat skins and any dried 

 animal substance ; and I have found a neglected box of moths 

 completely eaten by these voracious insects. 



The present species is rather convex, and blackish-brown in 

 colour. The thorax is rather narrowed behind, and on each 

 side of the hinder margin are two pits. The elytia are boldly 

 striated, each stria being seen, when examined with the aid of 

 a lens, to consist of a number of punctures placed in regular 



