ill'LLETIN 39, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MI SKIM. [92] 



in the notes the vial was referred to by number of box and vial thus, 

 7 \ (box 3, vial 73). The vial should project one-half to 1 inch above 

 the hole, and should be loose enough to provide for the swelling of the 

 wood in moist weather. 



To protect the vials a cover having a depth of about 1 inch was 

 hinged to the back and secured in front by hook-and-eye fastenings. 



This method of storing vials is satisfactory enough for private collec- 

 tions, but for larger public collections is not so suitable. 



A rather convenient and inexpensive method of storing vials is that 

 used by Dr. Marx. In this method the vials are stored in a wooden 



FIG. 113. The Marx tray for alcoholic specimens (original.) 



frame, .shown at Fig. 113. The top piece of the tray into which the 

 vials are thrust has a cork center, in which holes corresponding to tin- 

 size of the vials are made with a gun- wad punch. The outer end of the 

 tray bears a label or labels describing the material in the tray. The 

 vials used by Dr. Marx are of thinner glass than those which I recom- 

 mend and flare slightly at the top, as shown in the accompanying 

 illustrations. They are made in various sizes to accommodate larger 



and smaller specimens. A vial thrust into 

 the hole punched in the cork rests on the bot- 

 tom piece of the tray, the flange or neck pre- 

 venting it from sliding through. These trays 

 are arranged on shallow shelves in a case or 

 cabinet, especially constructed for the purpose 

 and a large quantity of material may be stored 

 1 >y their use in small compass. The use of the 

 cork center piece in the upper part of the 

 tray is not a necessity, and a wooden piece 

 may be used in which holes are bored with a 

 bitt of proper si/e. 



Micro-lame in Alcohol. The 



CLQ 



FIG. 114. Vials used in the Marx 

 tray (original. ) 



following is quoted from Packard's "Entomology for Beginners." for 

 which it was translated from the > l>cntx<'hc A'///. 7ei1tj., r 1SS7, Heft I: 



"Dr. li. Dewitx. mounts the larva- and pupa- of M ierolepidoptera, 

 and also the early stages of other small insects, in the following wa\ : 

 The insects are put into a bottle with !>."> 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 0.00(5 meter in diameter. 



