34 



ptera, six species; Coleoptera, forty species (out of a much larger number 

 actually observed to feed on grape-vine) ; Hymenoptera, two species. 

 In the Appendix are further mentioned : Thysanura, one species (hardly 

 injurious), and Thysanoptera, two species. 



DERMESTID BEETLES INFESTING MUSEUMS. 



Trogodermainsulare Chevrolat, a Dermestid beetle originally described 

 from Cuba, has lately been found by Mr. H. Lucas* at the Museum of 

 the Jardin des Plantes at Paris, France, infesting insect collections re- 

 ceived from Panama, the injury done by the larviB being very serious. 

 We presume Mr. Lucas has at once t-iken steps to exterminate this 

 pest in his boxes, and that we are thus prevented from ascertaining 

 whether or not this American insect would have become naturalized in 

 Europe. 



While it is true that by the general watchfulness on the part of the 

 owners and keepers of collections the distribution of these museum pests 

 is largely prevented, it must be remembered that these Dermestids are 

 not only found in collections but also feed on the bodies of dead flies, 

 spiders and other insects in the dark corners of our rooms, under fur- 

 niture, etc., and that they should find, therefore, no difficulty in spreading 

 from house to house, from city to city, and finally from one continent to 

 another. But this is only correct regarding a portion of the species, 

 Dennestes lardarius has, together with other species of the same genus, 

 become cosmopolitan in distribution and the same may be said of 

 Anthrenus varius and Attagemis piceusA On the other hand, Anthrenus 

 scrophularice, the best known museum pest in Europe, is entirely un- 

 known in American collections of insects and other objects of natura 

 history. It is well known that this species has been imported of late 

 years into the northeastern part of the country where it is greatly inju- 

 rious to carpets, but for some reason or another it seems lo be unable 

 to extend its range southwards and even makes slow or no progress 

 westward. Our own most destructive museum pest, Trogoderma 

 tarsale, has never established itself in Europe where it is replaced by 

 T. versicolor. 



The Chilian Eurhopalus variegatus has to our knowledge never been 

 found elsewhere. In the American Naturalist (v. 16, 1882, p. 826) Pro- 

 fessor Riley called attention to the fact that Perimegatoma variegatum 

 infests insect collections in California, but in spite of the lively inter- 



*Aunale8 Soc. Eut. France, 1889, p. cxl ; description of larva and pupa by the 

 same author, 1. c, p. ccx. 



t This last named species is of late years decidedly Increasing in numbers and de- 

 structive powers in Washington, D. C. The larvje have repeatedlj- been found in insect 

 boxes which were not quite tight, but fortunately they are larger and more cylin- 

 drical than those of Anthrenus or Trogoderma and unable, therefore, to enter the box 

 through a very small crack. Moreover they feed only externally on insects and do 

 not enter their bodies as is the custom with Anthrenus and Trogoderma. As a house- 

 hold pest they injure carpets in the same way as Anthrenus scrojihulariw. 



