4 IO ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [Nov., 'lO 



i/z inch of adhesive plaster around the top of the bottles, and 

 covering the bottom and lower side with the same, will lessen 

 the danger of breaking when several are carried in the pocket 

 or knapsack, and it also keeps the broken parts together 

 if breakage occurs. A small label on the smaller bottles can 

 be used for recording the habitats of each catch. 



To transfer our catch, from the bag to the killing bottle, 

 take the bag in the right hand and insert the mouth of the 

 bottle into it, all the while keeping the bag snugly around the 

 same. Now invert the bag, and with a few taps on its side 

 and bottom as well as jarring the bottom of the bottle down 

 upon the palm of the hand, all the catch will be transferred, 

 leaving a surprisingly few in the bag. The bag can be used 

 again if still in good condition. After killing, the catch should 

 be transferred to one of the smaller bottles and the habitat 

 noted. This method will always insure dry, clean specimens, 

 especially if the worms, grasshoppers and all such of the 

 larger insects or matter that may cause moisture or otherwise 

 damage the specimens, are removed. This should always be 

 done. When the bottle becomes nearly filled, or the insects 

 lay closely together, an occasional gentle shake, or invertion, 

 and ventilation by the removing of the cork for a few seconds, 

 will keep the catch from sweating. With these Micros, one 

 must always guard against the accumulation of moisture, 

 which is sure to discolor the fine pollinose coating, and which 

 I have never found means of restoring when once discolored. 

 This is all that need be said about the collecting method. Our 

 next concern will be the mounting, which will be discussed 

 in another section. Of course there are many little details 

 and tricks that will be worked out by each collector to suit 

 himself, but in the main, the foregoing remarks will be suffi- 

 cient to give an idea of the methods I have found most satis- 

 factory and which have been the means of bringing to light 

 m'any new species of the formerly obscure family Ephydridae 

 and which are now represented in my collection by a series 

 of perfect specimens. 



