The Rev. F. W. Hope on. Lwnwriu. 119 



XXV. Observations on the Ravages of Limnoria terebrans, 

 with Suggestions for a Preventative against the same. 

 By the Rev. F. W. Hope, F.R.S. S)-c. 



[Read November 3, 1834.] 



In laying before the Society some specimens of wood perforated by 

 Limnoria terebrans, (a crustaceous animal allied to the marine Onis- 

 cidce, or sea wood-lice,) my chief object is to elicit any observations 

 which may tend to counteract its ravages. 



A very able paper, by Dr. Coldstream, appeared in April last in 

 Professor Jameson's Journal, wherein its history, habits, and anato- 

 mical details are sketched with an accuracy which does honour to this 

 useful pupil of Leach. It lives on the wood, which it perforates, and, 

 as far as I have observed, so also does Lic/ia oceanica, and probably 

 others of the Oniscidce, marine as well as terrestrial. This fact, however, 

 I believe was first made known to us by Dr. Coldstream, who states 

 that the contents of the stomach resemble comminuted wood. From 

 finding the common wood-louse in outhouses, and in and about 

 decaying timber, it appears to me not improbable that they also may 

 partly feed on wood. 



I hope I may here be allowed to express a wish that some of the 

 members present will examine the contents of the stomach of the 

 common wood-louse under a powerful microscope, and give us at 

 some of our meetings the result of his investigation. 



As the generic characters of Limnoria are well laid down, and as 

 the animal is figured in the above-quoted Journal, I pass on to the 

 objects of its attacks, and also to the remedies which have been 

 applied to counteract its effects. 



Fir, birch, and oak were nearly all equally attacked by it. Teak- 

 wood alone remained unperforated ; probably, therefore, other iron- 

 woods may be employed with like success. Among the experiments 

 made to resist this evil, the following were the most important : 



1st. Covering the piles with broad-headed nails, called scupper- 

 nails, the oxidation of which impregnating the wood, jdelds a taste 

 disliked by the animal. This plan for a time succeeds : the rapid 

 consumption of iron, from the action of salt water, at length rusts 

 off the broad heads, and it is necessary continually to replace 

 them. Some have used copper-sheeting with i^artial success ; others 

 have used common tar, with which they daub the piles before they 



