CHAPTER XVI. 



CARE OF SPECIMENS. 



In the preparation of all specimens one of the most important 

 objects in view is to poison every skin so thoroiio^hly as to make its 

 destruction by the ravages of insects, such as dermestes, anthernus, 

 moths, etc., impossible. If there happens to be a spot in any of your 

 specimens which has not been thoroughly poisoned it is sure to be 

 attacked sooner or later by insects. All specimens coming from un- 

 known hands should be quarantined and carefully inspected before 

 putting them into your collection. " Eternal vigilance," together with 

 a knowledge of how to destroy and prevent the progress of the 

 destroyer, are the best safeguards. 



Moths. — The first in rank of destructiveness are the moths, of 

 which four species are known as persistent workers : Tmea Jiavi- 

 frontella Linn., the common or cloth moth ; T. tapetzella Linn., or 

 carpet moth ; T. pellionella Linn., or fur moth, and T. granella Linn., 

 or grain moth. They are nocturnal insects, although the little 

 " millers " may often be seen flying in darkened rooms during the day. 

 They begin to fly about actively in INIay, but in warm rooms their 

 work of destruction is carried on all winter. Thev infest woolens, 

 furs, grain, etc., and the destruction wrought by the larvse is well 

 known. The stage in which this insect does its destructive work, is 

 a plump, white caterpiller, provided with strong mandibles and sixteen 

 legs. 



Dernnestes.— There are none of the destructive insects which give 

 the museum builder more trouble than this small, universal pest, 

 known as the " bacon beetle." The most common species is D. 

 lardarms. In my museum I have encountered him several times ; I 

 know him well and I know how to conquer him. His color is brownish, 

 the body being encircled with a transverse band of grayish. The 

 larva is hairy, brown back, and white abdomen, and jaws equipped 

 with drilling tools equal to any steel instrument m^de. He can drill 

 a hole as round and clean as though done with a gimlet. Whenever 

 you discover brown dust, and sometimes the color of cayenne pepper 

 on the pedestal of any of 5'our mounted specimens, it is high time to 

 look for the larvae of Dermestes at work. 

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