[19] THE NEW CARPET-BUG ANTHRENUS SCROPHUL ARI^E. 131 



projections from it outwardly one on the middle of the back, 

 and one other toward each end. Take a straight line and 

 divide in four equal parts by three cross lines, and we have 

 nearly the position of these projections. At the extreme tip 

 of the wing-covers is a widening of the bordering line, making 

 almost a fourth projection from it. The first projection, near 

 the head, is connected with a white spot, running upwardly 

 on the middle of the front border of the wing-cover. On the 

 outer border of the wing-covers are three white spots nearly 

 opposite the red projections. The intermediate spaces are 

 black. The segments of the body beneath are covered with 

 pale red scales, and the thoracic region (which bears the legs) 

 with whitish scales. 



The above description, although not presented as a scientific 

 one, will suffice for the identification of the beetle when met 

 with. 



The detection of this insect adds to our fauna another 

 species of the dreaded genus of ANTHRENUS, which there is 

 reason to fear will equal in its destructive agency the well- 

 known museum pest, the A. varius (formerly known as A. 

 musoeorum), the obtrusive guest of all our collections of 

 natural history, whose ravages it seems impossible fully to 

 guard against, and so exceedingly difficult to control. 



It does not confine itself wholly to carpets, but it also 

 infests and injures various articles of wearing apparel, hang 

 ing in closets or lain away in drawers. An instance has also 

 been stated, but awaits confirmation, of its preying upon cot 

 ton fabrics a habit not attaching to either the clothes or 

 carpet moths. 



It is known to have become almost ubiquitous in a house 

 which had been for some time occupied by it, notwithstand 

 ing the persistent efforts made for its extirpation. Its exu 

 viae were encountered in trunks, boxes, tied up packages, 

 drawers, beneath floor oil-cloths, etc. Late in the season 

 (October) clusters of twelve or more of the full-grown living 

 larvae were disclosed, to the disgust and dismay of the house 

 keeper, in turning over a paillasse, the borders of which they 

 had selected as a safe retreat on which to undergo their final 

 transformation. 



I have this present year found that a convenient place in 

 which to discover the beetle, is upon the windows of the 

 infested rooms during J:he day. In the latter part of April 



