I 



AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



105 



THE SILVER FISH. 



Lepisma sacharina, L. 



Order Thtsanura : Fam. Lepismid^e. 



We received the following letter from Mrs. Johnson, accom- 

 panied by specimens which proved to be the above species. 



GoRHAM, Me., Aug. 24, 1894. 

 F. L. Harvey. 



Dear Sir : — I have sent you three 

 specimens of a bug ( ?) that has been 

 troubling me this year. Some time 

 in May a beetle, similar in shape to 

 the illustration of the carpet beetle in 

 this week's Lewiston Journal, ap- 

 peared in the dish closets and on food 

 when it was left exposed. In color it 

 was a silvery gray. It was about a 

 third of an inch in length. About 

 the first of June they disappeared but 

 soon after came in the form of the 

 specimens which I have sent you. 

 These are in everything — dishes, 

 food, clothes, shoes, etc., but I have 

 failed to find any real mischief which 

 they have done. 



Please write me what they are. 

 The buffalo bug is in at least one 

 house in Gorham. 



Yours trulj', 



Rose C. Johnson. 

 The species of beetle spoken of was 

 probably the common Meat Beetle, 

 Dennestes lardarius. 

 This species may be recognized by the accompanying cut. The 

 insect is of a uniformly dull silvery color, excepting the feet and 

 antennae, which are pale yellow. The size is about one-third of an 

 inch. Mrs. Johnson has given the habits correctly. "They are in 

 every thing." They are capable of doing considerable damage in 

 libraries and wardrobes, by eating the paste from books, and holes 

 in fabrics. They are very active. As these insects are fond of 



