356 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



for not less than 24 hours, are drained on a piece of filter paper and put 

 into pine spirits of turpentine, or sometimes into the carbol turpentine, for 

 some hours. I generally leave all this material overnight or longer, 

 according to the time I have for mounting. 



All mounts are in balsam in xylene (xylol), without pressure, except 

 for flat objects. If a sufficient amount of balsam be used, the insects will 

 not be crushed out of shape. For bulky ones, however, a cell of some 

 kind is advisable. 



In the work on the respiratory system of Belosioma and of Rafiatra, 

 while the final dissections were mounted by the alcohol and turpentine 

 method outlined above, the specimens were obtained as follows : The bug 

 preserved in alcohol was cut longitudinally in half by. means of a scalpel 

 or a pair of scissors. The two halves of the body were then carefully 

 boiled in a strong solution of caustic potash after the alcohol was quite 

 thoroughly washed out. This, of course, largely takes place in the pre- 

 liminary dissection. The boiling potassium hydrate dissolves out all the 

 viscera and leaves the entire tracheal system untouched in situ. Care 

 must be exercised, however, not to carry the solution too far, as otherwise 

 the trachese themselves will be attacked. It is now a simple matter to 

 dissect out tracheae and spiracles for mounting. The dissections must be 

 repeatedly and carefully washed in clean water, which must be changed 

 each time, until not a trace of the alkali remains, before being put into 

 plenty of 95% alcohol. The turpentine clearing is the next step, and the 

 preparation is ready for mounting. 



Mounts of the false spiracles of Ranatra thus prepared show the 

 occluding membrane of the round perforations and the slit-like true 

 spiracle situated in the widened peritreme. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. 



The forty-fifth annual meeting will be held at the Ontario Agricultural 

 College, Guelph, on Thursday and Friday, November 5th and 6th. On 

 the former evening there will be a public meeting in Massey Hall, when 

 addresses will be given by President Creelman, of the College ; Mr. C. C. 

 James, Deputy Minister of Agriculture for Ontario; Dr. Fletcher, Presi- 

 dent of the Society, and an illustrated lecture by Dr. E. P. Felt, State 

 Entomologist of New York. Morning and afternoon sessions will be 

 held, at which papers on scientific and economic entomology will be read, 

 and officers will be elected for the ensuing year. 



