CLUB-HORN BEETLES 29 



spreads them out like a couple of shuttlecocks. On 

 account of its hairy nature it is a very slippery creature, 

 and this, combined with its small size, makes it a diffi- 

 cult captive to hold, and enables it easily to slip between 

 the fingers. It is nearly a year in attaining its full 

 size, though not equally vigorous during the whole time; 

 it is much more active in summer than in winter, and 

 feeds chiefly during the warm weather. At length, after 

 several moults, the time for pupation arrives ; the last 

 larval skin, however, is not thrown off as its predeces- 

 sors have been, but, a slit having been made down the 

 back, the insect becomes a chrysalis inside the hairy 

 shroud, from which, on attaining its final form, it makes 

 its exit at the aforementioned slit, leaving its last two 

 coverings one inside the other. 



Five species of Anthrenus are known as British, and 

 it is curious that the perfect insects frequent living 

 flowers, especially those of the UmbelliferEe, in which 

 they may sometimes be found gregariously. The larva 

 of A. musceorum, however, feeds upon skins, hairs, 

 feathers, and other dried remains of animals, though it 

 is difficult to understand what temptation there can be 

 for an insect's taste to oscillate between fragrant and 

 aromatic flowers on the one hand and evil-flavoured and 

 malodorous animal remains on the other. Apparently, 

 however, it is not much affected by smells, for the 

 powerful odour of camphor, which is destructive to many 

 insects, seems not to incommode it at all; and, there- 

 fore, the keeper of natural curiosities will not permit 

 himself to be deluded into the persuasion that all must 

 necessarily be right with his collections if he has but 

 applied camphor to them after the usual manner. This 

 is no effectual preservative against Anthrenus; in fact, 

 the wretched little creature has actually been found 



