84 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



ScapJioideus scrupulosus, var. reductus, n. var. — Form of scrupulosus, 

 but smaller, and entirely lacking the brown banding of that species. 

 Length, 9 4-5 mm. 



Vertex pale creamy, with a pair of large quadrate spots on the disc, 

 separated by their width and connected by a line along the margins to a 

 pair of round spots against the eyes, black. Pronotum milky, mottled 

 with fuscous. Elytra milky, finely and uniformly reticulate with fuscous, 

 apical cells black, with ivory spots at base. Female segment more 

 rounding than in scrupulosus, with a shallower notch and a long strap- 

 shaped tongue extending two-thirds its length beyond the segment. 



Described from three females from Colfax, California. The specific 

 limitations in this genus are very difficult to determine. A study of a 

 larger series may prove this to be a distinct species, but the present 

 material will hardly warrant its recognition. 



DISSECTING SMALL BEETLES. 



Prof. U'ickham's article in the January issue of this magazine on 

 'The Preparation of Beetles for the Microscope/' is an excellent one, 

 which, had it appeared ten years ago, would have saved to many of us a 

 great deal of trouble and spoiled specimens. 



In connection with this subject I should like to say a few words about 

 my method of dissecting very small beetles of the Staphylinid subfamily 

 Aleocharinse. 



I do not dissect the specimens first, and do not subject them in parts 

 to the effects of the different fluids, but put the whole specimens in alcohol, 

 then in concentrated carbolic acid solution, then in oil of cloves. 

 The specimens go from the last named medium on a cover-glass ; there 1 

 first cut the head off and transfer it to the cover-glass of the permanent 

 mount, where, with very fine needles, the parts of the head are dissected 

 and placed in proper position. 



The prothorax and front legs are then transferred similarly to another 

 cover-glass, and finally the meso- and metasternum (minus wing-covers and 

 wings) to a third cover-glass, sometimes the abdomen to a fourth glass. 



As dissecting instruments I use two steel needles, which are fastened 

 in handles and then sharpened under the hand-lens. They are sharpened 

 so that they represent a miniature double-edged flat scalpel with very 

 sharp point. — A. Fenyes, Pasadena, Cal. 



