THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 219 



in your number for this month it is recommended to enclose them in a tin 

 box to withstand the energy of the post-office officials. But even that is 

 not safe ; for though the said box itself may not be broken by the 

 tremendous whack the said officials usually lay on, yet still, very delicate 

 objects inside may be injured by concussion. In short there is a better 

 way, by which I have sent microscopic objects hundreds of miles and 

 numerous times, without the slightest injury. It is as follows : It is quite 

 a mistake to place stamps upon the box itself. They should be fixed to 

 one of the common luggage labels, which is then attached to the box by 

 a reliable piece of string, so as to separate it from the box by about two 

 inches. The " official " may then whack away at the luggage label to his 

 heart's content, and no harm be done. In this case the box need not be 

 strong ; and, to prove this I now send, for your acceptance, a very fine 

 specimen of the Chirodota violacea, popularly known as " Pharaoh's 

 chariot-wheels." The containing box, you see, is purposely slight ; and 

 yet, I will venture to say, you will receive the slide uninjured ; and, if so, 

 I hope you will inform your readers of the fact, and draw their attention 

 to the impropriety of placing their stamps on the box. I will merely add 

 that by the "common luggage label " I mean those made of paper pasted 

 on cloth, and having a small ring at one end. They are sold by the dozen 

 at almost every stationer's shop. I must add that I do not claim the 

 merit of the invention. It is by no means new, but, nevertheless, does 

 not appear to be known to many. One more remark. The address 

 should be written (as you see I have) on the label itself; and, though not 

 absolutely needful, it is a good plan to wrap the box in black paper, which 

 prevents all temptation to stamp it, as in that case the stamp will not be 

 seen. — H. U. J. 



[Our correspondent is quite right. His frail box reached us safely, and 

 we cannot but be glad of the post-office energy which has happened so 

 fortunately for us ! — Ed. Science Gossip.'] 



m 



We heartily concur in the remarks of H. U. J. It is most grievous to 

 have fine specimens so ruthlessly smashed, as we sometimes receive them, 

 beyond any possibility of recognition. We are glad to state that this 

 method of attaching a stout paper-and-cloth label, which we know in this 

 country as a tag, and putting the address and stamps on it, instead of the 

 box, has already been adopted by some of our correspondents. We 

 received a few days since from a friend in San Francisco a box containing 



