COLEOPTERA 291 



several times. . .formed a chamber in its food material, or in any other 

 convenient locality at hand, when it curled itself up, loosely covered with 

 some of its own food, and the refuse round it. There it lay for five days, 

 then moulted again for the last time, and turned to the pupa from which 

 the beetle developed in thirteen days. 



Butler says of the species : 



they are the jackals of the flesh-flies, coming round when the maggots of 

 the latter have finished up all the soft and juicy parts of a fresh carcase, 

 and clearing off the hard and dry remnants of the skin, tendons, ligaments, 

 etc., which their predecessors have left untouched. 



Dried meats, skins, horns, hoofs and feathers are attacked; they 

 destroy every form of preserved animal, such as beasts, birds, fishes, 

 crabs, insects and spiders in museum cases, and are especially fond 

 of cork. "An account has been placed on record of the destruction 

 of a whole ship's cargo of cork by vast numbers of them." 



Mr A. H. Cockayne says it is very destructive to sheep-skins in 

 freezing works, stores, etc. In 1918 a great deal of damage was done 

 to rabbit- and sheep-skins in the Dunedin stores. 



Dermestes lardarius, Linn. European Bacon Beetle 



The first record I find of this insect was in February, 1873, when 

 Dr van Haast found a live specimen in a box of insects received at 

 the Christchurch Museum from Australia. 



It is occasionally introduced in American bacon, but does not 

 establish itself. 



Anthrenus musceorum, Linn. Museum Beetle 

 This species feeds upon skins, hair, feathers, and other remains 



of animals, and is not deterred even by such strong odours as camphor. 

 Mr W. W. Smith reports it as common and very destructive in 



houses in Taranaki (April, 1919). 



Family BOSTRICHIDJE 

 Lyctus brunneus, Stephens. The Ship-borer 



In the Agricultural Department's report for 1903, Captain Broun 

 stated that this beetle had only been found by him at Auckland three 

 times, all isolated captures. 



(See Appendix B, p 559.) 



Family PTINID/E 

 Ptinusfur, Linn, 



First recorded from Canterbury by Mr C. M. Wakefield in 1872. 

 Mr Hudson reports that this species was found amongst chicory 



192 



