THE DOMESTIC DERMESTES. 
S 6 7 
jng furniture, in comparifon with thofe worms which no 
invention has been able to deftroy. The acrid varnilh, 
which is now extracted in fuch abundance from coal, pro- 
miles to be the molt effectual remedy againft their en- 
croachments *. 
< 
Dermejles Lardarius f. 
This infeft is of a black colour, and eallly dilb'nguiftied 
by a large tranfverfe ftripe covering the anterior part of 
the elytra, which is of a cinereous fyue. The ftripe re- 
ceives this pale colour from a number of fmall gray hairs 
which grow upon it ; it is irregular at the edges, and 
interfered through the middle by a fmall tranfverfe ftreak 
of black fpots, three in number, on each fide of the ely- 
tra the middle fpot fomevyhat lower than the reft, gives 
the black ftreak a ferpentine or undulating form +. 
This animal feeds upon cadaverous carcafcs, and meat 
Verging to a ftate of putrefaction: It makes its way into 
the mufaeum, and is feen among preparations, in num- 
bers more than fufficient to gratify the curiollty of the 
polfeffor. In fail, it is among the greateft enemies of 
bis labours : and in the larva ftate, makes the greateft 
bavock among the colledtions of infe£ts§. It then af- 
. fumes 
* Vide Chap. ?. fedt. I. 
f Scarabe Biffcqueur ocir, Regne Anim. 
f Birbut gen. infedkeum. §' Regne Animale, Ord. I. gen. J. 
