80 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Strips of white cloth nailed upon the trees were very convenient to 

 receive the sugar, though not necessary. One afternoon, while preparing 

 my baits for evening, a fine Grapta Interrogationis hovered around the 

 tree for a moment and then lit close by, and unrolling its proboscis, feasted 

 on the nectar. While engaged in this absorbing operation I readily cap- 

 tured it between thumb and finger. In some localities where rare species 

 are to be found, it may be worth while to try sugaring for butterflies as 

 well as moths. 



The vapor ol hydrocyanic acid in the poison-bottle, as a rule, did not 

 change the colors of specimens even after prolonged exposure. But a 

 single moth of those collected, a pinkish Crambus, was faded by it, 

 changing to olive brown. 



At my suggestion cyanide of potassium was adopted by the American 

 Museum of Natural History, to preserve their Entomological collections 

 from the ravages of insects. At first small tin boxes were used, but the 

 salt chrystallized upon the tin and made its way over the edge and down 

 the sides of the receptacle, staining the cabinet drawers. Finally small 

 glass capsules were used to contain the poison, and proved satisfactory. 

 The vapors render it unpleasant to work over the drawers while the cap- 

 sules are in them, but with the temporary removal of these the 

 inconvenience ceases. A fly or other small insect introduced into one of 

 the cases, dies in a very short time, and the protection against Dermestes 

 is very complete, though of course it is hardly advisable to use this method 

 where the drawers are not nearly air-tight. Still I think that every Ento- 

 mologist would find a single tight receptacle thus poisoned very useful as 

 a sort of quarantine for suspected specimens. Even delicate green 

 Geometrae, after being in an atmosphere of prussic acid vapor for months,, 

 have, so far, shown no change in color. 



The South London Entomological Society, which, though only nine 

 months old, has been extremely successful, held on Thursday evening 

 last, at Dunn's Institute, Newington Causeway, a very interesting exhibition 

 of collections of insects, chiefly British Lepidoptera. The collections 

 were made by the members themselves, all amateurs, and do them the 

 greatest credit. The room was densely crowded, and the exhibition was 

 a great success. 



