258 Insect Architecture. 



the grubs of the pretty musk-beetle (Cerambyx moschatus), 

 which are so abundant in the neighbourhood of the trees in 

 question, that the very air in summer is perfumed with their 

 odour. (J. E.) 



[Mr. Rennie is undoubtedly right in his suggestion. I 

 have found similar holes in old willow trees, and have traced 

 them throughout their varied ramifications. They contain 

 the larvae and pupae of the musk-beetle, some of which may be 

 seen in the Museum at Oxford. On these trees, which mostly 

 grow along the banks of the Cherwell, the perfect beetle was 

 so abundant that it might be taken in any number, and, as 

 described by Mr. Rennie, the air was perfumed with its power- 

 ful and agreeable odour. So strong is the scent of this 

 beetle, that I have known it adhere to gloves after the lapse 

 of many weeks, and I have often caught the scent when pass- 

 ing along the road, and merely by the aid of the nostrils 

 discovered the insect. 



[On account of the vast number of carpenter-beetles, it is 

 impossible to notice more than a few of them, and we will 

 therefore select some of the most conspicuous. One of them, 

 belonging to the genus Ptilinus, is very familiar to us as bor- 

 ing into wooden furniture, and producing the effect which is 

 popularly called " worm-eaten." Fortunately, the little crea- 

 tures can be easily ejected, and the wood rendered free of them 

 ever afterwards. All that is needed is to take a syringe with 

 a very fine aperture an injecting syringe is the best and by 

 its aid to force into the holes a solution of corrosive sublimate 

 in spirits of wine say a large teaspoonful of the powdered salt 

 to a pint of spirits. The rapidity with which the poisoned 

 spirit permeates the wood is wonderful, and in a short time it 

 may be seen oozing out of twenty or thirty holes at once. This 

 solution is peculiarly effective, as it kills all the insects, de- 

 stroys every egg that it touches, and renders the wood poison- 

 ous to the grubs that happen to escape. I used to be greatly 

 plagued with the Ptilinus among my ethnological collection, 

 until I tried the corrosive sublimate, and ever since my 

 spears, bows and arrows, and clubs have remained intact. 

 [Another troublesome insect is the Scolytus destructor, 



