290 



PROF. H. MAXWELL LEFROY 



lost part of its antenna, after the moult this was found to be 

 complete ; a tarsus lost before the final moult was not regenerated, 

 and the perfect insect is without it. 



CoLEOPTERA. 



Dermestes frischi. 



This very rare beetle was exhibited in all stages of development. 

 The specimens came from Millwall Docks, where the larvae were 

 feeding in hard fungi on decaying aspen logs. The Port of 

 London Authority very kindly granted permission for the logs 

 to be removed to the Insect House, where they are now under 

 observation. The fungus was inhabited by two other beetles, 

 both of which are common British species — Cis boleti Scop, and 

 (Jis villosulus Marsh. ; we have bred these for feeding the Man- 

 tides referred to above. Several pupa? of D. frischi were found 

 no less than four inches from the surface of the logs. The larval 

 borings resembled those of the oak timber pest Xestobium 

 tessellatum F. It is interesting to note this remarkable 

 departure from the ordinary habits of Dermestes. These beetles 

 are usually found in dead animals and birds or in raw hides 

 and natural history specimens. 



Xestobium tessellatum. 



We have been fortunate in getting material in an oak-tree of 

 this beetle, which is doing so much damage in the roof of West- 

 minster Hall. The live larvae and beetles obtained from this tree 

 have been of great use in testing methods of dealing with the 

 beetle in Westminster Hall, as very little other live material 

 has been available. 



Dorcatoma punctidata. 



The only known British specimens of this pretty little beetle 

 were discovered at Enfield, Middlesex (Entom. Monthly Mag., 

 July 1914, p. 167). 



Two other British species, D. chrysomelina and D. flavicomis, 

 are found in oak timber in the New Forest and other localities. 



D. punctulata closely resembles Chrysomelina, but its habits 

 appear to be different. The insects have been exhibited in all 

 stages, inhabiting a hard dry fungus from the trunk of an old 

 ash-tree at Forty Hill, Enfield. The beetle emerges in June and 

 July : there are a number of larva? in the fungus which should 

 produce beetles shortly. 



Eryx fairmairei. ■ 



The only known British locality for this beetle is Sherwood 

 Forest, Notts. The larva, which closely resembles a mealworm, 

 is very destructive to the bark of old growing oak-trees. A 

 number of the larva? were collected in July 1913, and beetles 

 bred from them have been shown. The beetle, which resembles 



