BEPOBT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 263 



have been able to learn, as well as from the history and habits of the 

 species, the following conclusions seem justifiable: 



1. Unless careful and thorough examination should prove the cou- 

 trurv, the presumption would be that the insect occurs in the Boston 

 factories and warehouses, as no reasons appear why it should not. 



2. Original infection may have taken i^lace either in Boston before 

 shipment, upon the original trip fi'om Boston to Savannah, upon the 

 wharves, or while the goods were stored in the Einstein establishment. 



3. The exact nature of the damage observed upon the first return of 

 the gooils in Boston is important, as if there was evidence of full-grown 

 larvnc or of pupa?, the infection would, presumably, not have taken place 

 on the first return trip, but must liave been prior, notwithstanding the 

 supposed freedom of the goods when first returned. 



4. The first iufcction by eggs and young larvfc is not easily detected, 

 aud a period of at least three weeks must be allowed for the develop- 

 ment iu numbers of full-grown larvje, or beetles from Avithiu the cases. 



5. The leather or boot-feeding habit is exceptional, aud our experi- 

 ments at Washington indicate that the larva forsakes leather for most" 

 other animal substances. The inference would, therefore, be that the 

 insect would not readily, either as larva or beetle, forsake hides to en- 

 ter cases of shoes, i. c, that the damage would be of slow development 

 rather than sudden. 



REiTEDIES. 



When this insect has already made an entrance into cases of boots 

 and shoes it will not be a ditlicult matter to destroy it by a proper use 

 of bisulphide of carbon. Of course it would be preferable to thor- 

 oughly overhaul the contents of each box and to treat the boots found 

 to be infested, with benzine or some other efficacious insecticide, but 

 where this cannot be done without too great expense it will probably 

 suffice to open each case and place an open saucer of the bisuljihide on 

 top of the contents. The liquid will volatilize and the vapor will sink 

 down through the mass if the box be tight, and will kill the iusects iu 

 their burrows. 



A preventive, hovrever. will be of greater importance than a remedy 

 in this case, and of prime importance in the more Southern manufac- 

 tories or in such warehouses as store both leather or dry hides aud 

 shoes. In mauy manufactories must occur such breeding places as tbo 

 one which was found in Mr. ^Meier's establishment in Saint Louis. All 

 through the late spring and summer the clippings and scraps from the 

 workshops were gathered up day after day and dumped iu a couveu- 

 ieut place in the cellar, there to await the starting of the furuace fir«'s 

 in the autumn. By the time it was convenient to burn it this mass of 

 waste leather was swarming with iusects and large numluTs of the 

 quick-moving beetles inevitably escaped and lived to ])eri)etuate their 

 kind in all parts of the building. 



Such breeding places without doubt exist iu almost every manu- 

 factory, and should be looked for, their living contents destroyed by 

 kerosene, and then the whole pile should be burned. In Soiithcru 

 establishments, where this insect is kuown to exist, there will be no 

 escape except in great care and excessive cleanliness. Scrap leather 

 should not be allowed to accumulate in any part of the buikling. and 

 all hides brought in should be examined aud poisoned on arrival. Fre- 

 quent examinations of stock on hand should be made if there is any 

 reason to suspect the presence of the beetle. With such precautions 



