66 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



Nausibius dentatus is found in grocers and confectioners shops, and 

 occasionally floating in tea or coffee. 



Lathridius nodifer, L. transversus and L. minutus occur fre- 

 quently in old books, probably owing to the books being musty or greasy. 



Lathridius lardarius. — The larva has been found in a dried pig's 

 bladder, the perfect insect has been found in books. 



Typhoea fumata is found in books, eating through the leaves, probably 

 owing to the books being musty or greasy. 



MycetaBa hirta frequents fungi, and rotten wood, and occasionally does 

 much damage by eating the corks of wine bottles, probably in consequence 

 of the corks becoming mouldy, or in other words, in consequence of the corks 

 being attacked with microscopic fungi. 



Dermestes vulpinus. The ravages of the larvse of these insects are 

 mostly in the skins and carcases of animals, dried horns, books, paper, &c. 

 Mr. Kirby is recorded to have discovered the larva in some specimens of 

 asbestos called amianth, which they had perforated in various directions, 

 undergoing their transformations therein. Mr. Westwood states that the 

 above species was, some years ago, so injurious in the large skin warehouses 

 of London, that a reward of £20,000 was offered for an available remedy, 

 without, however, any being discovered. The same species is recorded to 

 have destroyed an entire cargo of cork, by the immense number of this insect 

 which fed upon it, both in the larval and perfect state, as well as upon the 

 timbers of the ship. It is frequently abundant in the stores at Seedley Print 

 works ; also in some of the drysalters' and furriers' warehouses in Manchester. 



Dermestes lardarius (the bacon beetle) is abundant in most of the 

 provision shops in Manchester. They feed upon dried meat, bacon, and on 

 the skins of animals. I have found them in a gamekeeper's museum, and my 

 son has frequently found them in old books, where they are very destructive. 

 When the larva is full-fed it bores holes underneath the counter, where it 

 changes to pupa, and in the floor. In some of the Egyptian mummies, a 

 number of dead specimens of several species of Dermestes have been found 

 in the inside of the bodies, also a number of larva?. These insects devour 

 the tendons and integuments of skeletons of animals, which the flesh flies 

 have left unconsumed, also horns. 



Attagenus pellio- — The larvse feed in skins, furs, and in old natural 



history collections, also on feathers in dovecots and where poultry are kept, 

 also on the dried integuments of animals, old bones, &c. 



