114 SEKDS, STORES, AND WOOD. 



from striatum by being a good deal larger, — striatum ranging from 

 about a line and a half to two lines in length, tesseUatum from about 

 two lines to three lines and a quarter. Also this stout little rusty or 

 reddish-brown beetle is sprinkled on the thorax and wing-cases with 

 patches of yellowish down, whence its name of being tessellated, and 

 by this yellowish downy patching the species is clearly distinguishable 

 from all the others of the twelve species formerly included in the genus 

 Anohium, Fab,, but now much altered in generic appellations. In 

 out-of-door conditions this kind is noticed as being found in old trees, 

 especially Willows ; likewise it is mentioned by Taschenberg as oc- 

 curring in woods, on parts of old stems from which the bark has been 

 removed, most especially of Oaks ; in rooms, or in houses, it is to be 

 seen early in April at all the beams and rafters, as well as the boards 

 in which the larvaB have bored. From the large size of this Anohium, 

 it is very destructive to timber where allowed to work unchecked, and 

 as far back as the time of Kirby and Spence the broadscale nature of 

 its injury to the u-hole of the woodwork of houses was recorded. 



The only observations of severe damage brought under my notice 

 which were attributed to this species were sent me last December from 

 Hartlepool. I was unable to procure specimens ; but even should the 

 devastation recorded not be the work of this kind, the record of such 

 great damage where the attack of " Dust Beetles" has been allowed 

 to take possession is of very practical interest. My correspondent 

 asked whether there was any remedy for the ravages, adding : — 



" The larva bores a small hole in the wood, generally of floors, and 

 is a great pest here. I have seen floors so eaten away that what 

 remained was much more like a sponge than anything else. At the 

 present moment I am consulted with reference to the floors of a large 

 warehouse. . . . The floor is formed of deals (Pine), three inches 

 thick, laid on joists of the same wood, and these again on large iron 

 girders. They are attacking the floor at present, and as to renew it 

 would entail an expenditure of three or four thousand pounds, they 

 are anxious to try some other remedy, if there be one." 



pRE\^NTioN AND REMEDIES. — One great point is, as soon as ever it 

 is noticed that attack is going on (which is easily observable by the 

 dust dropped from the infested wood), to take the matter in hand 

 without delay. This is very important. If nothing is done, the beetles 

 will come out from the wood where they have developed and lay their 

 eggs on it or any similarly suitable position at hand, and thus will 

 continue constantly increasing destruction of property. Attention to 

 this point is very greatly needed. So far as my own experience goes, 

 the matter is commonly, or at least very often, allowed to run on year 

 after year until the wood is so riddled by the workings that all strength 



