8 



damaged, arid before she was aware of the presence of the depredator, 

 her carpets were entirely destroyed." These, and many similar cases 

 were investigated, and it was discovered that about three-fourths of the 

 infested carpets had been purchased at a certain carpet store, the pro- 

 prietor of which had bought a large stock, which he was disposing of at 

 reduced rates. 



In consideration of the grave results of introducing an infested carpet 

 in one's 4iome, it was recommended to the Bostonians that every new 

 carpet or rug should be considered as dangerous, and first exposed in 

 strong sunshine in the open air and strongly beaten, before laying it on 

 the floor. The common custom of ordering new carpets from the stores 

 to be laid down at once, was pronounced as attended with great danger. 

 Dr. Hagen also recommended, as a means of preventing the entrance of 

 the insects, that the joinings of the floors (their favorite habitat) should 

 be filled with the softest common tallow, and that tallowed paper should 

 be placed underneath the carpets, extending in strips of a foot or two 

 around the room adjoining the walls. 



In addition to the reason assigned for the above recommendation, viz. : 

 that the tallow is avoided by the larvae of the carpet-beetle, as it would 

 readily attach itself to them and close their spiracles or breathing-pores, 

 it may be stated, that the odor of tallow is disagreeable and repellent to 

 a large number of insects, and that it has long been the custom to pro- 

 tect woolen goods from the clothes-moth, during the summer months, by 

 placing among them a tallow candle wrapped in paper.) For some time 

 past, I have employed the same protective means for the preservation of 

 my entomological collection from the attack of the Dermestes lardarins 

 and the Anthrenus varius, by placing tallow candles among" my cases, 

 and small pieces of the same within the cases. Some interesting experi- 

 ments recently made with a colony of Dermestes, probably the familiar 

 larder-beetle (see Canadian Entomologist, vol. x, p. 141, 1^78), gave the 

 following results : They were confined in a glass jar, and apiece of cam- 

 phor placed therein. At first they manifested soine uneasiness, but in a 

 minute or two commenced traveling about and over the camphor with 

 entire unconcern. Upon a small piece of tallow being dropped in the 

 jar, the effect was instantaneous and ludicrous a regular stampede 

 ensued. The beetles fled precipitately to the side of the jar, and after 

 endeavoring to effect their escape, they huddled together in a mass, 

 where they remained so long as observed. The jar was set aside, and 

 upon looking at it again a fortnight thereafter, only one dead beetle was 

 found of the large family. It is presumable that they died soon after 

 their exposure to the tallow, and had eaten up the dead bodies of one 

 another. 



In one of my early communications on this insect, it was stated that I 

 had found no mention of its preying upon carpets or other woolens in 

 Europe, where it had been long known, and the suggestion was advanced 

 that it may have developed a new taste with its introduction in this 

 country. Since that statement was made, mention has been brought to 

 my notice of its feeding upon clothing in Europe. It is written of it: " It 

 is common in houses, where it can become very obnoxious by the de- 

 struction of furs, clothes, animal collections, and even leather and dried 

 plants. The obnoxious larva is common in closets and rooms in the attic, 

 where it finds dead flies, and from whence it/enters other rooms." It is 

 usually met with in Europe on flowers, such as roses and tulips, and often 

 on fruit trees. A popular name for it, in some parts of the continent, is 



