140 THE QUERIST. 



IX. — "Report of Journal of Dublin Natural History Society, 1855. 

 And notices of the Serials of Germany, France, and Britain. 



$jie (torist. 



In reference to your query in "The Naturalist," vol. vii., page 40, touching 

 the setting of Hymenoptera, I may mention that one of the most extensive 

 (if not the most extensive) collections of British Hymenoptera I have seen 

 was chiefly unset. The specimens in this condition, though not so easily 

 depicted, are, to a great extent, as available for all scientific purposes. 

 It is not desirable, indeed, that the wings should be erect and applied to 

 each other, as this both obscures the venation and hides the abdomen in 

 part. If in a drooping or partly horizontal and divaricated position, this 

 objection is done away. If the insect is merely pinned, and so stuck 

 into a box, the former will very often be the case; but without the trouble 

 involved in what is understood by setting — symmetry and horizontal expansion 

 of wings, etc., a very little pains will make very useful specimens. The 

 subsequent position is determined chiefly by the pressure of the horny scales 

 which protect the base of the fore wings, and the tension of the muscles 

 which produce this. If, before the insect is stiff, whether pinned or not, 

 a pair of forceps (callipers) with slender ends be passed from above down- 

 wards, (and slanting a little forwards in general,) so close to the sides that 

 they may catch and raise these base- covers; and having thus embraced 

 from above the base of the wing, they be slightly pressed together, so as 

 to compress the thorax gently at that point, the wings will usually take 

 and keep a drooping position. This process is often necessary previous to 

 setting specimens. Let me add for Lepidopterists who may preserve the 

 parasitic Hymenoptera reared in the breeding-cages, (with notes of the 

 Lepidoptera from which obtained — a very desirable means of information,) 

 and others unaccustomed to handling Hymenoptera, that they should be 

 transfixed with pins comparatively fine and long; the body of the insect 

 brought up to the middle of the pin, or even higher, taking care that 

 they do not go through the scutellum, but through the preceding ampler 

 field of thorax — or if there be many specimens, in some through the 

 thorax from side to side, as the sculpture both of back and sides is 

 sometimes to be attended to. To prevent the legs of insects not set 

 from hanging down too much, and so getting broken against the cork, I 

 often pass the pin through a piece of stout paper, and bring this up 

 some way toward the body of the insect so as to serve for a guard, 

 which can be easily and safely removed with nippers when the specimen 

 is stiff. — A. H. Halidav, Dublin, February 4th., 1857. 

 * I think every insect should be set. — F. 0. Mori 



