34 



as long as the body. This terminal pencil of hairs is not shown in its full extent in the 

 figure, doubtless taken from an immature individual. The entire length of the insect, in- 

 cluding the pencil of hairs, is, in the largest specimens, nearly three-eighths of an inch. Mea- 

 sured across the body and the lateral hairs, its breadth just equals the length of the body. 

 An ordinary magnifier will show the front part of the body, where no distinct head is to be 

 seen, thickly set with short brown hairs, and a few longer ones. Similar short hairs 

 clothe the body, somewhat longer on the sides, where they tend to form small tufts. To- 

 wards the hinder end may be seen on each side three longer tufts (thrice as long) projecting 

 laterally, but these are not always visible, as the insect, by the aid of a peculiar muscular 

 arrangement, has the power of folding them out of sight along its sides. The body has the 

 appearance of being banded in two shades of brown, the darker band being the central por- 

 tion of each ring, and the lighter the connecting portion of the rings known as the incisure. 

 By turning it upon its back the six little legs, of which it makes such good use, can be seen, 

 in vigorous efforts to regain its former position — its struggles while in this condition some- 

 times producing a series of jumps of about an eighth of an inch in length. 



Having attained its full growth, it prepares for its pupal change without the construc- 

 tion of a cocoon or any other provision than merely seeking some convenient retreat. Here 

 it remains in a quiet state, unaltered in external appearance, except somewhat contracted in 

 length, until it has nearly completed its pupation, when the skin is rent along its back, and 

 through the fissure the pupa is seen. A few weeks having passed, the pupal skin in its turn 

 is split dorsally, and the brightly-coloured wing-covers of the beetle are disclosed. Still a few 

 additional days of repose are required for its full development, when the now fully matured 

 beetle crawls from its protective coverings of pupal case and larval skin, and appears in its 

 perfect form. 



The earliest beetles emerge in the month of October, and continue to make their appear- 

 ance during the fall, winter and spring months. Soon after their appearance probably, they 

 pair, and the females deposit their eggs for another brood of the carpet-eating larvae. 



The beetle is quite small — smaller than would be expected from the size of the larva — 

 being only about one eighth of an inch long and one-twelfth broad. Its form is almost a per- 

 fect ellipse as seen from above ; its back and under surface are quite rounded. When turned 

 upon its back, it often for a few minutes counterfeits death, with its legs so closely folded to 

 the surface as scarcely to be seen, and in this state the ordinary observer, might be at a loss 

 to distinguish the lower from the upper side. 



It is a beautifully marked little insect in its contrasting colours of white, black and 

 scarlet, arranged as follows : the edge of each wing-cover where they meet on the back is bor- 

 dered with red (forming a central red line), with three red projections from it outwardly, one 

 on the middle of the back, and toward each end. Take a straight line and divide in four 

 equal parts by three cross-lines, and we have nearly the position of these projections. At the 

 extreme tip of the wing-covers is a widening of the bordering line, making almost a fourth 

 projection from it. The first projection, near the head, is connected with a white spot, run- 

 ning upwardly on the middle of the front border of the wing-cover. On the outer border of 

 the wing-covers are three white spots nearly opposite the red projections. The intermediate 

 spaces are black. The segments of the body beneath are covered with pale red scales and the 

 thoracic region with whitish scales. 



It does not confine itself wholly to carpets, but it also infests and injures various 

 articles of wearing apparel, hanging in closets or laid away in drawers. It will also des- 

 troy furs, leather and natural history objects. 



A convenient place in which to discover the beetle is upon the windows of the 

 infested rooms during the day, and they are found in the greatest abundance during the 

 month of May. Should investigation show that the beetle is drawn to the windows 

 before the deposition of its eggs, their ready capture and destuction at this time will 

 offer an easy method of preventing their increase. 



Should this insect become generally common, it is difficult to conceive how, under 

 such a visitation the comfort of carpets can still be indulged in within our homes. Even 

 now when it has barely commenced its ravages, it is reported as having inflicted very 

 serious pecuniary losses in several instances, where carpets have been entirely ruined, and 

 such terror has its presence imparted, that not a few prudent housekeepers have already 

 abandoned the customary nailing of their carpets to the floor, that frequent examinations 



