60 ORDER COLEOPTERA. 



Irs qvadrisignata. ( Plate xxiii, fig. 6.) 



B id and thorax black : elytra black, 'with two yellow spots on each elytrum, shining ; 

 the posterior sjn.t is somewhat oval : apper and outer angles black. 



Ips BiPisiTLATis. ( Plate xxiii, fig. 8.) 



■r brown, dull : elytra marked with two large yellow dots. Length about two and a 

 lvalf lines. 



Cue uj ides. 



Genus CUCUJUS. Coltdixjm (Herbst). 



Antenna? short, nionilil'orni or clavate ; basal joint short. 



CrciJis clavipes. ( Plate xxii, fig. 2.) 



Depressed, Hat or compressed : color uniform, inclining to brick-red; abdomen below 

 dark, and nearly black upon the margins. Length about half an inch. 



Dermestes lardariis. ( Plate xxii, fig. 5.) 



Body oval, Buboonvex, black, with a gray bar passing across the anterior part of the elytra, 

 in which are three dots on each elytnim. 



The genus Dermestes is named from derma, a skin, with which the larva* make great 

 ravages, eating the surface so as to cause the hair to fall off. The Dermestes lardarius com- 

 mits it* depredations in houses, usually in furs, meat, pork, bacon (whence it is sometimes 

 ■ ailed bacon bug-), collections of insects, etc. when stored away without protection. It is 

 about one-f<>urth of an inch long, marly black; the base of the elytra ash-color, with 

 three small black spots. 



This species is active in attacking all animal collections of natural history : from this 

 depredator, they are best protected by arsenic. Articles of domestic consumption should 

 be preserved by preventative measures, such as enclosing hams in canvass and white- 

 lung them. 



The Dermestes vulpinus is distinguished from the lardarius, by having the elytra entirely 

 black, and the under sides and under partis covered with white scales. It is very destruc- 

 tive to hides, in which it is imported. In France, it has been observed to perforate walls 

 built of stone soft enough to be broken by the nail. It .is found in America, Europe and 

 Asia. 



Then- are several other bisects which are destructive to skins, and to anatomical and 

 natural Hstory collections : one of them is the jlnthrcnus museorum (Byrr. museorum, 

 Linn.). It i< not a native of this country : it is, however, replaced by the .1. destructor, 



