OF WASHINGTON. ()5 



cidental loosening of the bottles, and troublesome to keep in order. 

 All of the old Riley material, as well as the great number of bot 

 tles filled from time to time at the Department of Agriculture are 

 likewise nearly useless. We have lately concentrated our efforts 

 on preparing inflated larvas, which, though more trouble to make 

 at first, give ultimate satisfaction. Even for small rarvaB this 

 method is preferable and we intend to completely substitute it for 

 the placing of specimens in any kind of fluid. Doubtless some 

 alcoholic material must be received from uninstructed or hurried 

 correspondents, and even from some others whose conservatism, 

 or possibly a different experience, leads them to prefer this method 

 of preservation. 



In 1900, Dr. Ottmar Hofmann, of Regensburg, Germany, 

 died. His collection consisted of two parts, his own material 

 and a portion of the collection of Anton Schmid. Schmid had 

 recently died, leaving his "Macros" to Mr. E. Frank, and his 

 "Micros" to Dr. Hofnaann. The Hofmann collection proper 

 was picked over by Lord Walsingham, who took away what he 

 wanted in his special families. But the remainder and the Schmid 

 " Micros," intact, came to the United States National Museum 

 through the offices of Prof. A. R. Grote. Prof. Grote obtained 

 the collection for us at a low price, and it was so purchased by 

 the Museum. Thus was obtained a very full collection covering 

 the European fauna. The families which Lord Walsingham had 

 taken from the Hofmann material were duplicated from the 

 Schmid 'collection, with the exception of one family, the Psych- 

 idae. These were formerly classified as "Macros," so Schmid's 

 specimens did not go to Hofmann. On the other hand, Lord 

 Walsingham took Hofmann's Psych idas as they are now referred 

 to the " Micros," his own special group. But, with this excep 

 tion, the National Museum obtained by this very inexpensive 

 purchase an admirable representation of the European Lepidop- 

 tera throughout, the smaller Tineids being as fully represented 

 and as carefully mounted as the large butterflies. The collection 

 numbered over 15,000 specimens. The sendings of Dr. VV. L. 

 Abbott continued, his last being from Lower Siam, comprising 

 several thousand butterflies and moths of that region. These 

 were gradually mounted and placed in their proper families. A 

 large part of the butterflies were named, with the assistance of 



