100 SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT 



comes deep bluish, in strong contrast with the wing-sheaths and fore 

 part of body, which remain white. 



This insect attacks more particularly such hams as have been 

 injured by over-heating in the curing room or by exposure to sun and 

 rain. It is also attracted by thefattysecretionor slime which appears 

 on the outside of such hams as have been left too long to lie in a pile ; 

 but it never seems to deposit eggs, or the 3'oung hatching from them 

 fail to reach the meat, except where the covering is cracked or worn 

 away, and the ham left in a measure exposed. 



The sugar-cured hams are first wrapped in brown paper, then sewed 

 up in canvas, and finally dipped in a mixture of Hour, water, a little 

 glue and chrome-yellow, and sometimes barytes or " heavy spar." They 

 are then hung up by the butt end. The coating is sufRcient to protect 

 them from depredators, if thoroughly applied, and if it entirely fills 

 up all the interstices of the canvas. I found that the principal injury 

 was done at the small end, around the prominent bone of the shank, 

 where the canvas, receiving most pressure, is most apt to give way. 

 I also found that none of the beetles issued before the first of May, 

 and ordinarily not till the middle of that month. I therefore suggested 

 to the Messrs. Whittaker to use a stronger and heavier canvas, and to 

 -get all the canvasing and covering done earlier than was their custom, 

 or before the first of May. They last year used a canvas one-third 

 stouter than that formerly used, and also carried out the other recom- 

 mendations. The result was, they did not lose a single ham or have 

 one returned by customers. 



The injury done to the meat by this insect is more apparent than 

 real ; for while it gives the outside of the ham a disagreeable look and 

 makes it unmerchantable, the inner meat, not touched by it, remains 

 sweet and unaffected. In its injurious work it is aided by the Ameri- 

 can Carrion-beetle (sometimes called the Bacon-beetle) Silpha Amei'i- 

 ■oana (Linn.); the Larder-beetle {Dermestes lardarius, Linn., Fig. 27 ; «, 

 larva; />, oneof its barbed hairs greatly magnified ; 

 c, beetle), and certain blow-flies. None of these, 

 however, are so apt to do injury to fresh haras, 

 but seek, rather, those which are tainted and in- 

 jured. 



There are doubtless several broods of this in- 

 sect each year, as the larvas grow quite rapidly 

 and the beetle is found in the fall of the year. It 

 hibernates solely in the larva state. 



All the species of the family to which this 

 ©ermestesla'J^hius: a, ini- Ham-beetle belongs are carnivorous, as larvae, 

 cTlekir"' "''''■'''''''""■'' either feeding on lignivorous insectlarv«? or on 



