STRIPED DEATH-WATCH BEETLE. Ill 



between the exporters and importers concerned as to where blame of 

 insect infestation is to be laid.* 



Two other species of Anobium, namely, A. striatum, Oliv., and A. 

 tessellatum, Fab.,t do much harm by the borings of their larvae into 

 woodwork, including in this, damage to chairs, tables, picture-frames, 

 shelves and cupboards, &c., and, on a larger and still more destructive 

 scale, to floors and woodwork of roofs, &c. 



A. tessellatum has especially been recorded as causing serious injury 

 to the timbers of houses ; but from the attacks of one or other species, 

 broadscale damage may constantly be found going on, from the 

 beginnings of the borings of the larvae observable as little round holes 

 hardly larger than the puncture of a very large pin, to which attention 

 is drawn by the wood-dust falling from the galleries, up to the last 

 stage of injury, in which the wood has been pierced and riddled until 

 it is in a state to fall to pieces at a touch. 



Inquiry is not unfrequently sent me as to methods of checking 

 these kinds of attacks, but I am not aware that the precise method of 

 commencement of the operations of the insect has been given, and the 

 following observations, taken by mysdf some years ago, of the modus 

 operandi in the case of A. striatum, may be of some practical interest, 

 as showing that from the peculiar method of attachment of the egg to 

 the attacked wood, application of deterrents might be given to the 

 surface, or means used which would prevent the fixing of the egg 

 which is the origin of the mischief. 



It was during a few weeks in the summer of 1874 that I observed 

 a great quantity of this species of beetle in a room at a house where I 

 was then staying at Torquay, where it appeared in such numbers as 

 to give me an opportunity of studying its habits, both at liberty and 

 in captivity. 



The figure at p. 105 gives a good idea of the appearance of an 

 Anobium beetle seen from above; when noticed sideways, A. striatum, 

 like most of its allies, will be seen to have the head much sunk into 

 the thorax, which is raised at the hinder part in such a manner as to 



* The matter will be found entered on in some slight degree of detail in my 

 ' A Few Injurious Insects of South Africa,' pp. 14-17 ; published 1889. 



+ Anobium striatum, Oliv., is the species now often known as Anobium 

 domesticum, Fourc. A good detailed Latin description of it will be found in the 

 ' Coleoptera Sanctas Helen® ' of the late T. Vernon Wollaston, p. 7S, with the follow- 

 ing short observation of some of the chief distinguishing characteristics of this species 

 (at p. 76) as follows : — " The rather narrow outline and piceo-brownish hue of the 

 A. domesticum, added to its nearly opaque and very minutely and shortly pubescent 

 surface, and its small uneven laterally compressed prothorax, which is acutely mar- 

 gined towards the posterior angles, and obtusely carinated (or gibbose) on the 

 hinder disk, will sufficiently distinguish it " (T. V. W.). For various synonyms of 

 Anobium tessellatum. Fab., = A. pulsator, Schall., see heading of this paper, p. 105. 



