Tixi; AND i'Ui:s]:i;\i.\<; ORTHOPTEUA. 



37 



by the cyanide bottle, which is made by placing in a large 

 mouthed bottle lone of the form shown in Fig. -1. about five 

 inches high by two and a half in diameter, is preferable for Or- 

 thopterai small broken pieces of potassium or sodium cyanide to 

 a depth of two-thirds of an inch. Cover this with one-half inch 

 of plaster paris. Moisten the latter with just enough water to 

 cause it to set and hold the cyanide in place. Then cover with 

 two thicknesses of blotting paper so cut as to closely tit the in- 

 side of the bottle. Keep the bottle tightly corked and in a i>l<n-c 



irlirrc cliinli'cn cuiinot rc<i<-Jt it, </.s I In' 

 itlr in (in// form /* a moxt <l<'<ntl// 

 Any Orthopteron placed in the 

 bottle will usually be killed in a few 

 minutes. Several bottles of different 

 size for both large and small specimens 

 should be taken on each day's trip. Af- 

 ter six months or more the cyanide usu- 



/fmit ":"" /cSS^ ' 



1m ally loses its poisonous, qualities and 

 must be renewed or the bottle discarded 

 for a fresh one. 



A small wooden or tin box with lay- 

 ers of felt or cotton should be taken 

 into the Held and after a half dozen 

 or so specimens have been killed in the 

 bottle they should be removed to this 

 box. as they are apt to be broken if car- 

 vied about for several hours. The cy- 

 anide bottle after being used several 

 times for large Orthoptera will often 

 be found to contain much moisture. It 

 should then lie wiped out with dry cot- 

 ton and new pieces of blotting paper 

 substituted for the moist ones. A large 

 bottle with a solid lump or two of cy- 

 anide held in place by a mass of cotton 

 or shreds of tissue paper can be tempo- 

 rarily used for very large specimens. 

 After the day's collecting the specimens should be either 

 mounted or. if away from home, packed for carrying or shipment. 

 They are best transported by placing between layers of felt or 

 cotton in small cigar boxes. If in a moist climate and packed loo 

 closely they are apt to mold in a short time. With the larger spec- 



Fig. 21. A cyanide bottle 

 with paper strips enclosed to 

 keep the insects from jost- 

 ling too freely. (After Banks.) 



