XV. 
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 Attagenus 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 ; Pentarthrmu Huttoni , which is strictly a 
wood-borer. In addition to the foregoing may be added Tenebvio 
molitor, T. obscuvus , 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. 
[Since the reading of this paper Mr. Chitty has sent me a further 
communication respecting the capture of Meziiim and Gibbinm. He 
writes as follows :—“ I am quite unable to say where the beetles 
(Gibbium) taken in Shoe Lane bred, I fancied it was in the sawdust 
and beer, but very likely it was in wood, as there was plenty of rotten 
w r ood containing Phlceopliigus ceneopiceus and Pentarthnim Huttoni. I 
should have expected to find the larvae of Mezium , etc., to be general 
feeders. They seem to occur amongst old papers and rubbish. In a 
granary in Holborn I have taken Mezium , Niptus , and some Ptinus in 
an old sack, which had got soaked in some greasy or fatty matter and' 
then hardened.” 
Mr. Chitty’s conclusions respecting these insects appear to be in 
accord with my own experience. I once found Niptus abundantly in 
the rotten joists of a house at Kingston-on-Thames. Gibbium was 
probably atttacted by the beer droppings in the sawdust, as Mezium is 
similarly attracted by carraw T ay seeds. But the larvae would most 
likely perish in the w T et sawdust. Phlceopliigus has occurred plentifully 
in wainscoting in the neighbourhood of Cornhill. — G. A. Lewcock.] 
