A DOMESTIC BEETLE.
Householders may like to know of the extreme punctuality of one of the least popular of domestic insects, the wood and wicker boring beetle, known to science as anobium domestieunt, that emerges only in the first weeks of June and, according to some particular observations (made in Oxford) comes forth as " pat as the catastrophe of the old comedy." It has a peculiar affection for wicker work, and can be seen and shaken out of any wicket basket at the June date, and then only. For 50 weeks it is safe in its tunnels, where its life in all stages is lived, free from all attack, though " something with boiling oil in it " has been found effective where applicable. This little beetle—it is about one-sixth of an inch in length—and the book worm and the death-watch beetle were all particu- larly studied by Professor Ray Lankester, but he did not, I think, note the exact date and punctuality of emergence.
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