266 ENTOMOLOGY. 



follows the custom of its allies in wandering away and spinning up 

 elsewhere. 



" The larvae of AntitJiesia fuligana, A. nigricostana, and several of 

 the Eupoecilise and Argyrolepiae, which feed in the soft stems of low- 

 growing plants, must be collected in the autumn before the dead stems 

 are broken and scattered by the winter storms. The stems must be 

 kept fresh in moist earth until they naturally die down, by which time 

 the larvae have generally spun up, and the stems may then be kept in 

 pots, jars, or even bottles, care being taken that they do not get either 

 mouldy or too dry, and will do as well in a cool room as out of doors." 

 Preserving Micro-larvae in Alcohol. Dr. H. Dewitz mounts the 

 larvte aud pupae of Micro-lepidoptera, and also the early stages of other 

 small insects, in the following way: The insects are put into a bottle 

 with 95 per cent alcohol. Many larvae turn black in alcohol, but 

 boiling them in alcohol in a test-tube will bleach them. They may 

 then be finally placed in glass tubes as small and thin as possible, 

 varying from 0.003 to 0.006 metre in diameter, according to the size 

 of the insects. About 0.07 metre's length of a tube is melted over a 

 spirit-lamp, and the tube filled three-quarters full with 95 per cent 

 alcohol, the insects placed within, and the contents of the tube 

 heated at the end still open, and then closed by being pulled out 

 with another piece of glass tubing. After the glass has been held a 

 few minutes in the hand until it is slightly cooled off, the end closed 

 last is once more held over the lamp, so that the points may be 

 melted together, and this end of the glass may be finished. During 



the whole time from the 

 closure of the tube until the 

 complete cooling of the 



gas? ' /)\ \2 glass, it should be held ob- 



liquely in the hand, so that 

 the alcohol may not wet the 



Fio. 272.-Method of preserving minute larvae, upper end; for if the tube is 

 etc. After Dewitz. too full, it is difficult to melt 



it, as the steam quickly ex- 

 panding breaks through the softened mass of glass. The tube may 

 be mounted by boring a hole through a cork stopper of the same 

 diameter as the glass. The stopper is cut into the shape of a cube, 

 a strong insect-pin put through it, and the glass tube inserted into 

 the hole. It can then be pinned in the insect box or drawer, near 

 the imago, so that the free end of the glass may touch the bottom, 

 while the other end stands up somewhat; while to keep the tube in 

 place the free end resting on the bottom may be fastened with two 

 strong insect-pins. The specimens thus put up can be easily exam- 

 ined with a lens, and if they need to be taken out for closer exami- 



