THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



101 



translated from other works, so that it is quite possible that the 

 omission referred to by Mr. Chitty may be due to this fact. 



With regard to the bristles on the elytra (several of the specimens 

 exhibited retain them), this can hardly be considered a constant feature, 

 as many specimens bred by myself have emerged quite destitute of 

 bristles ; but this perhaps may be caused during the emergence from 

 pupa. It may be well to mention that some of the Gibbium specimens 

 also are sparsely covered, and Ptinus fur thickly covered with hairs or 

 bristles. Then again, some of the living (bred) specimens exhibited, 

 are of pale reddish colour, while others are a deep black, all of which 

 have been kept together alive for five months ; so that the question of 

 maturity can hardly be decided by the colouration of the elytra. 



Of the genus Anobium, all are wood borers, with the exception of 

 A . paniceum, which thrives on almost any farinaceous food. Only two 

 or three years ago Mr. J. A. Clark exhibited packets of Parrish's Food, 

 which were riddled through and through as if shot, containing all 

 stages of the beetle. It also feeds on the pasted backs of books, 

 whole ginger, and a variety of things. A. domesticum has never, to my 

 knowledge, forsaken the wood, no matter how dry or hard it 

 may be. 



Xestobium tessellation is entirely a wood-borer, but turns up 

 occasionally in the City. It is also attached to oak trees, willows, &c. 



Hedobia imperialis does not put in an appearance in the City, but 

 very dwarfed specimens of Ptinus fur are often found running 

 about in warehouses. 



Other beetles occurring in the City are A ttagenus pellio, of which 

 several were captured in Albion Hall just previously to a meeting of 

 the Society ; Dermestes vulpinus among furriers ; Mycetcea hirta found in 

 champagne corks at Cornhill ; Pentarthrum Huttoni, which is strictly a 

 wood-borer. In addition to the foregoing may be added Tenebrio 

 molitor, T. obscunts, Alphitobius diaperinus, and A. piceus, all of which are 

 to be found in bake-houses and at corn -dealers ; and sometimes stray 

 specimens are picked up in other places ; Blaps mucronata and B. similis 

 are mostly found in restaurants and eating-houses. 



NATURALISTS OF THE DAY. 



XVI.— J. B. HODGKINSON, F.E.S. 



It is said that the poet is born, not made, and the same is no doubt 

 true of the Naturalist. Still, it often happen the taste for Natural 

 Science lies dormant, until some trivial circumstance stimulates it into 

 energy and the career commences. 



