18 
and North America, mentions its occurrence in granaries, and finally 
Mr. W. Gr. Johnson gives instances of its occurrence in warehouses in 
the American Miller for June and July of 1895. The latter reared the 
adults from nearly grown larvre feeding on corn meal and from others 
living in flour. My present experiments of raising the insect from the 
egg places it beyond all doubt in the ranks of true grain-feeding species. 
Dr. Lintner has surmised (1. c, p. 47) that this species is the author 
of reported injuries to cotton and linen goods. It is frequently noticed 
in mills, etc., on bags, but not having actual evidence that it attacks 
such cloth, the following experiment was made: 
A bit of cotton was placed in a jar of flour in which the larvoe 
were feeding. The exact time of exposure was not noted, but when 
examined, October 30, it was found to be perforated here and there 
Fig. 6.— Attagenus piceus : a, larva; b, pupa; c, adult; d, dorsal abdominal segments of pupa; above 
at left, male and female antennae— all enlarged (from Howard in Bull. 4, n. s.) 
with holes of different sizes and so badly eroded that it tore on being 
subjected to the slightest force. It is more than probable that this 
larva is frequently the cause of considerable injury to flour and grain 
bags from its gnawing into and thus weakening them. 
The species briefly described. — The beetle is of such common occur- 
rence in the household in the spring and early summer time, particu- 
larly on our window sills, that little need be said of it at this time 
beyond calling attention to the accompanying illustration, which will 
serve for its identification. It is nearly black in color, with the ventral 
surface lighter and the legs and antennas dark yellowish. It measures 
between two and three sixteenths of an inch in length (3-5 mm.). The 
sexes may readily be distinguished by examination of the antennas, 
$ representing the male, 9 the female, in the illustration. 
The larva has been described, according to Eupertsberger, by both 
