98 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



! May 



I do not think it possible for entomologists who go to and from 

 business daily and mix with their fellow-men to avoid a betrayal of 

 their knowledge of entomology ; it may be owing to a casual remark, 

 or by a direct inquiry. Some years ago, soon after I came to London, 

 this happened to myself. One day in the City my attention was 

 attracted by someone who had picked up a "creeping thing" from 

 the floor, and placed it on the table. " Look what a lot of legs it has 

 got," said the captor ; "and doesn't it run ? " I looked at the creature, 

 and replied " Yes ; but there are only six legs." This remark created 

 some astonishment, and caused a further examination, when it was 

 seen that six was the correct number of legs. A little more conversa- 

 tion took place, and I then explained that the animal in question was 

 the larva of a beetle named Dermestes lardarius. This piece of informa- 

 tion was received with laughter, as nothing so much delights the 

 non-scientific portion of our community as the sound of entomological 

 names. After this I became the recipient of anything that happened 

 to turn up — were they beetles, bugs, spiders, or cockroaches. 



With reference to the name Dermestes, this term is frequently 

 confounded with " domestic," and one often hears of the Domestic 

 lardarius in the City, as the species is of common occurrence there. 

 The two words, however, have totally different meaning; the scientific 

 name Dennestes being derived from the Greek, and means a devourer 

 of skin, which is descriptive of the habits of the beetle ; while domestic 

 (from Latin domesticus) relates to the house. As Dermestes lardarius 

 perhaps is oftener found indoor than out, the term " domestic " is in a 

 certain sense applicable, more especially as the Latin lardarmm refers 

 to a larder. 



Both beetle and larva of this species are plentiful in City warehouses, 

 and with but little trouble one can obtain a good supply of them. 

 Provision dealers are sometimes greatly troubled with them, and I 

 have no doubt they could be obtained in almost any number throughout 

 London. The larva is a fast runner, and can be found all through 

 the year. It will feed on the bard skin and refuse of meat, making 

 curious galleries by throwing up a yellow wax-like substance all round 

 its food. It is difficult to tell the pupal stage, as in most cases 

 the pupa is formed within the skin of the larva, and it still retains a 

 certain power of motion in the legs. The beetle forms rapidly, 

 and generally makes its appearance in two or three days after changing 

 to pupa. On emerging, the pattern of the wing cases is at once 

 discernible, although the beetle is of a slightly paler colour. The 

 pupal shell is probably devoured by the beetle, as I have never found 

 much of it left. 



Among other beetles frequently occurring in the City are the so- 

 called " bookworm " species. These all belong to the group Ptinidae, 



