MISCELLANY. 157 



have cost Mr. Atkins <£l,000.— T. B. Hall, Woodside, near Liverpool, Feb. 1, 

 1838. 



Mode of Killing Insects. — Mr. Dale, in his "Hints" (p. 81), has omitted 

 mentioning Mr. Haworth's plan for killing large Moths, which I think de- 

 serves to be known and practised. " When large Moths must be killed," says 

 Mr. H., " destroy them at once by the insertion of a strong red-hot needle into 

 the thickest parts, beginning in front of the thorax. If this be properly done, 

 instead of lingering through several days, they are dead in an instant." — Peter 

 Rylands, Bewsey House, Warrington, Feb. 3, 1838. 



Curious Locality for the Hedge Accentor's Nest. — Most authors agree 

 that the place this bird selects for building is a compact hedge. As a departure 

 from the common rule, it may be mentioned that in the early part of spring, 

 1836, a [pair of these birds built, and hatched their young, in a Fuchsia in Dr. 

 Murray's garden, at Belle- Vue. — Patrick Hawkridge, Scarborough, Aug. 7, 



1837. 



The Veneer, Vanear, or Finear (Crambus). — A variety of C. argyreus (?), 

 Glanville's Wootton, Enborne, Berkshire, and Hume, Hampshire, May 18 to 

 July 9. Mr. Haworth mentioned in his letter 13 that he had added quite a 

 new Fineer (qu. C. deceptor ? Bentley's Cabinet) from Norfolk (Beachamwell ?), 

 taken June 1823, by H. Scales, Esq. — J. C. Dale, Glanville's Wootton, Dor- 

 setshire, July 9, 1837. 



On preserving Objects of Natural History in Spirits of Wine. — The 

 following will be found an excellent preparation for covering over the corks of 

 bottles in which the objects are preserved, and will effectually prevent the 

 evaporation of the spirit : — 



Common resin. 



Red ochre, well pulverised. 



Yellow wax. 



Oil of turpentine. 

 The quantities of resin and oxide of iron, or of oil of turpentine and wax, must 

 be regulated according to the degree of brittleness or elasticity that is required. 

 The wax and resin must be first melted, and the ochre added in small quantities, 

 at each addition being briskly stirred with a spatula ; when this mixture has 

 boiled seven or eight minutes, the oil of turpentine may be added, well stirring it, 

 and the whole boiled for a short period longer. It is necessary to be very careful 

 that these substances do not take fire, and in case they do, it is as well to be 

 provided with a lid to cover the vessel and extinguish the flame. The quality of 

 the luting can be ascertained by putting a little from time to time upon a cold 

 plate, by which means its degree of tenacity is easily ascertained. 



After having carefully corked the bottles, and wiped them well with a dry 



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