West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-11-15

At the recent meeting Of the British
Scientific Association, Professor Mcstwood
read paper interesting TO all possessing a
library. lie described the life history of
the various insects which attack books, and
suggested some remedies The catcrpillars
of the moth AgloSSa pinguinalis, and also of
a species or DepreSsaris, often injurc books
by spinning their webs between the vol
umes, and gnawing small portions OF the
paper with which 10 form their Cocoons A
small mite, Cheylctus crldiuus, is also found
occasionally in books kept i'm damp siiua-
tions, where it gnaws the paper. A very
minute beetle, Hypotheuemus crudius
(WeStvood), forms it's tiny burrows with
in the binding of books The small in
sccts O.cpisma saccharna) found i'm closets
and -cupboards where provisions are kept,
also feed ON paper. A curious example of
Iis work waf exhibited i'm framed and
glazed print, of which the plain portion was
eaten, whilst the parts covered by the
printing ink were untouched The author
has been assured that the same fact has been
observed in lndia, where some of the Gov
ernmeut records had been injured I'm the
same manner. The habit of the Lepisma,
had not been previously recorded The
white ants (rcrmitidW), are constant
source ut annoyance i'm hot and warm eli
mates, eating all kinds Of objects of veget-
able origin, of which several instances were
recorded 10y DR.. Hagen, including the de-
structiou Of stock of bibles aud prayer
books. CoGkroaChgs lBlatta OricntaiS), arc
also equally destructive TO books when they
fall in their way. But it is the Death
watches (Anoblum pertinaN and striatum).
which do the greatest injury guaWing and
burrowing not only I'm and through the
bindings, but also entirely through the vol
umc, and instances have been recorded
where not fewer than twenty seven folio
volumes placed together on bookshelf,
have been so clcanly drilled through by the
larvae OF this beetle that string might be
run through the hole made by them, and
| the volumes raised by the string The rem
cdlcs against the attacks of the AuObum
upon objects Of carved wood must ncccs-
| sariy be of different character from those
used against the book worms which are
the larvae OF the Anobia. In the former
| case, satuation with chloride of mercury
dissolved in mcthylatcd spirits of wine or
other analogous fluid has been found 10 be
efficient. But with respect 90 books, it was
/ necessary 10 have recourse TO vaporization,
and experiments were recorded ia which
oDJccls dllacktd 10y the AnODH had been
placed IN "a large glass case, made AZ air
tight as possible, and small saucers with
pieces of sponge saturated with carbOlC
acid were placed at the bottom OF the case.
and ON The recommendation of the author il
had been found successful 10 place the i'm.
fccjcd volumes i'm the Bodlcian Library i'm "a
closed box, with "a quality of bcuznc i'm "a
saucer 40 the bottom. a strong infusion OF
co'ocynth and quassa, Chlorolorm, spiri If
turpcntinc, expressed juice OF green walnlts
and pyroligncous acid has also been en-
ploycd successfully. Fumgation on "A large
scale may also be adopted by having a room
made as air-tight as possible, burning brim-
stone in it, or filling the room with fumes
Of prussic acid or bcnzine. DR. Hagen sug
gcsts that, by placing an infected volume
under the bell glass Of AN air-pump and cX-
tracing the air, the larvae would bee killed
during an hours cXhaustiOu