358 A COURSE ON ZOOLOGY. 



buildings, destroyed all woodwork, and devoured the 

 archives. The damage wrought by the termites is much 

 greater by the fact that it is never apparent from the 

 exterior. Indeed, the creatures dread the light, and are 

 very careful to leave absolutely intact the surface of the 

 wood they are destroying ; joists and supports, appar- 

 ently perfect, thus give way 

 when the interior is galleried 

 in all directions. 



The clothing and carpet 

 moths are injurious only in the 

 state of larvae. They are then 

 veritable plagues for all mat- 

 ters composed of wool, feathers, 



HOUSE-MOTH. , . , ' . ' 



hair, horn, tortoise-shell, skm, 



and for collections of natural history. 



Generally they seek dark, quiet places and uniform 

 temperature, so that the best way to prevent their rav- 

 ages is to shake frequently and expose to bright light 

 and sudden changes of temperature all articles that 

 might be subjected to their attacks. It is sometimes 

 quite difficult to recognize the presence of these crea- 

 tures, even by close examination; for sometimes the 

 larvae make a covered gallery, leaving the outside fibres 

 in position ; sometimes the sheath or cocoon which it 

 makes for itself is covered with the debris of the mate- 

 rial on which it rests, and the colors are so arranged that 

 no difference is detected on first inspection. 



Most of these house-moths belong to the family called 

 tineidse, each species of which prefers fabrics of special 

 material, but, unfortunately, many of them seem able to 

 adapt themselves to whatever matter of animal origin 

 they can get. 



