HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. ' 



149 



a very little practice will enable the operator to do 

 this both certainly and quickly. No two individuals, 

 save perhaps a male and female, of whose sexual 

 relations there can be no doubt, or an example 

 mounted on its back, to show its underside, along 

 with a member of the same species, should be 

 allowed to continue on one card ; much less should 

 a TOio of any species be left together. And each 

 specimen should have sufficient card left behind it 

 to allow of a glass of high power being passed be- 

 tween it everywhere and its pin. The pin should 

 perforate the card in the middle of, and close to, its 

 liiuder margin ; and the whole card be lifted three- 

 fourths up the pin, to keep it from mites and dirt 

 as much as possible. Proper entomological pins can 

 be obtained of all sizes at the agents of Edelsten, 

 17, Silver Street, St. Martin's-le-Grand, also (with 

 all other apparatus) of any natural-history agent or 

 dealer in London ; such as Mr. E. W. Janson, 28, 

 Museum Street, or Cooke, New Oxford Street. 

 " No. 8 " pin is, perhaps, the most useful size. In 

 removing many specimens, proper insect-forceps will 

 be found handy : these can be obtained at the two 

 last addresses, or of 15uck, cutler, Tottenham Court 

 Hoad. 



Specimens will occasionally become discoloured 

 with grease, usually from defective drying, though 

 many water-beetles and internal feeders, and most 

 autumn-caught specimens, are specially liable to this 

 defect. Benzine is an effectual remedy for it, 

 and for mites, and can be liberally applied with a 

 brush. Carbolic or pheenic acid, dissolved in that 

 fluid (or alone, see p. 126), is "an effectual safeguard 

 against mould from damp. To re-card a specimen 

 that has become discoloured (whether from either of 

 these causes, or from age), it is only necessary that 

 it should be floated in cold water for a few minutes ; 

 the insect can then be dried, well saturated with 

 benzine, and again mounted, looking as fresh as 

 ever. But in re-carding specimens it is necessary 

 to be very careful with such as were originally kept 

 too long in laurel- or cyanide-bottle, as they are apt 

 to become so rotten that a little damp will cause a 

 "solution of continuity." 



As to storing the specimens when quite dry, I can 

 add nothing to the excellent observations of Dr. 

 Knaggs at p. 126, the same remarks applying with 

 equal force to Colcoptera; except, perhaps, that, even 

 when the collector has (and is satisfied with) a cabi- 

 net, he is likely, in proportion to the real work done 

 by him, to establish type-boxes of all the difficult 

 groups. 



Eor the examination of insects, readily manipu- 

 lated by being pinned singly on a square flat thick 

 piece of cork or bung, a pocket glass is, of course, 

 necessary. In this case, the best instrument is the 

 cheapest in the long run, whatever it cost ; and one 

 by a good maker, such as Eoss, with modifications 

 of four powers, will suffice for any ordinary work. 



Eor very small species, a Coddington, of the clearest 

 definition and highest power attainable, is of im- 

 mense help. But when the collector finds that he 

 needs a compound microscope to separate species, 

 it is the firm opinion of the present writer that that 

 collector had better take to some other pursuit than 

 studying Colcoptera. To any one, however, whose 

 researches entail an examination of the minute 

 cibarian and other organs of beetles, whether for 

 purposes of classification or otherwise, the com- 

 pound is absolutely necessary ; though even then 

 the lower powers are usually sufficient. Eor rough 

 dissection, all that is needed are a very small ocu- 

 list's lance-headed dissecting-knife and a stout and 

 fine needle. With these, under a lens mounted on 

 a little stage to allow the free use of both hands, 

 much may be done. The writer, however, has seen 

 and used a very pretty (and comparatively inexpen- 

 sive) dissectiug-staud, with various powers and 

 much latitude of motion, by Ross. 



After mentioning that, in sending mounted beetles 

 by post to correspondents, it is far more practical 

 to use a strong box, not too deep, to fasten the pins 

 securely, with a layer of manufactured wool in the 

 lid (glazed side towards the beetles, so as not to 

 catch limbs), and to put more wool outside, and 

 write the address and affix the stamp on a label at- 

 tached, than it is to pack carelessly, write " with 

 care " outside,* and then grumble at the Post-office 

 because the insects are broken, I think I cannot, 

 with use, say anything more upon beetles in their 

 preserved condition ; and I will therefore now give 

 some hints as to their haunts when alive. 



To exhaust the accidental-capture system above 

 alluded to, mention must first be made of sand-pit 

 collecting, a most profitable employment, especially 

 in spring and early summer. A clean, straight- 

 sided silver-sand pit is the best, and, if in or near 

 a wood, its attractions will be at their highest. 

 Beetles, flying of an evening and by night, dash 

 against the pit sides and fall to the bottom ; others 

 merely crawl in for shelter, or tumble over the sides, 

 and many seem attracted by the mere damp at the 

 bottom or in the corners. Old collectors used to 

 recommend a sheet spread out to attract insects ; 

 and there is no doubt that a certain number can be 

 found by such means, just as they can be picked up 

 floating on horse-troughs or on ponds. Artificial 

 traps exist in the corridors of the Crystal Palace, 

 some half-inclosed country railway stations, and 

 such places; crawling up the windows of which 

 many specimens are to be found. But these can 

 only be considered as indications of what species 

 occur in the district, as they are mere stragglers. 

 Deliberately laying traps in sand-pits, on commons. 



* It is, however, always as well to write " Insects," signi- 

 fying contents that are " caviare to the mUlion," and, there- 

 fore, not likely to be appropriated en route. 



