Bates: My herbarium and its one enemy 51 



Of course, I soon appealed to Washington for help 

 and sent them several invoices of specimens. The author- 

 ities there told me in substance, that I was one of the 

 few privileged mortals who had made the acquaintance 

 of the "Ptinus fur, or white marked spider beetle." 



Some of their descriptions did not seem to fit my asso- 

 ciates. They said the "four white lines" distinguished 

 him. I couldn't find any. But they said they were on 

 its "elytra," and I could not find that, They said "it 

 strongly resembled a spider in appearance." If it had 

 not the two middle legs I should as soon called it horse 

 beetle. They told of its "larva" tunnelling. I think 

 my beetles did the tunnelling, the grubs stayed at home 

 and "waxed fat." 



They agreed with me as to their being omnivorous, 

 even adding a long list of high class provisions like "all 

 druggist's stores," "cotton and wool," "fruit," "boots 

 and shoes," belladonna and "tobacco," "Rye bread" 

 and "especially partial to red pepper." They tell us it 

 is even said "they will eat anything except cast iron 

 and "the late Dr. Hagen wrote "that he once saw a whole 

 shelf of theological books, 200 years old, traveled through 

 transversely by the larvae of this insect." 



They were harder on him than I am. My larvae and 

 my beetles too did not go to forage away from the her- 

 barium. Close by was a shelf of books, some of them 

 theological too, one twice as old as those of Dr. Ilagen 

 (1544). And on the herbarium case was a row of books 

 mostly new theological, and not one book of mine wa- 

 ever perforated. 



I asked Washington where my Ptinus came from. 

 They suggested foreign plants. But th< herbarium 

 from which my foreigners came, has never known him. 

 They suggested also refuse heaps, even saying politely 

 "it seems probable there is some neglected corner or 

 breeding place in your house, in the garret, or old barn, or 



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