THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 3 



Pseudo-neuroptera, 979; Neuroptera, 454; Hymenoptera, 523; Galls, 

 171; Spiders, 644; Parasites, 208; Hemiptera, 57 ; Orthoptera, 14 (the 

 last two orders are not arranged, and the rich biological material of the 

 alcoholic collection of the Museum is not placed in vials) : besides a large 

 number not yet arranged in the boxes of the different orders. There are 

 about 7,800 vials in use. The larger part of the collection presented by 

 Mr. F. G. Schanpp, and the very large collection of the Peabody Academy, 

 are not included in the above enumeration. For want of space, they have 

 been stored provisionally in large glass jars filled with alcohol, in which 

 the small vials with cork stoppers are placed. 



Of the 7,800 vials with rubber stoppers, perhaps two-thirds were filled 

 and labelled 10 and 12 years ago, the others in the successive years, half 

 of them three years ago. More than half are of a size needing stoppers 

 of 8 to 12 m. m. at the smaller end; two-thirds of the rest of 14 to 18 

 m. m.; the rest with larger ones 30 to 37 m. m. (milk stoppers), and a 

 few as large as 42 m. m. Some vials, at times a large number, were 

 opened for identification and study of the contents. A very small num- 

 ber had to be changed every year, and these were closed with pieces of 

 rubber rope (of 6, lo, 12, 16, 25 m. m. diameter), which was used as an 

 experiment, but proved to be unsuccessful. In addition to these, in each 

 year during late years three or four of a certain size needed to be changed. 

 These vials, 65 m. m. long by 8 m. m. broad, were closed by stoppers, 

 which had to be forced 16 m. m. into the vials. The alcohol began to 

 evaporate, the vials turned easily on the corks, which is never the case in 

 well closing vials ; the part of the stopper in the vial was somewhat 

 smeared, and had lost its elasticity. Indeed these stoppers would have 

 served probably longer by re-filling, but for greater safety they have been 

 always changed. All these vials were closed twelve years ago, and they 

 began to give out during the last few years. The part of the stopper 

 outside of the vial always bulged out considerably, so that by this mark 

 alone the vials to be changed were easily noticed. A part of these stop- 

 pers were not well made ; when cut they are not solid throughout, but 

 filled with numerous holes, representing a kind of fibrous tissue. The 

 strong depression in the rubber trade during late years has caused the use 

 of poorer material in vulcanizing ; some numbers of the smaller sizes are 

 now decidedly bad. Nevertheless, of all stoppers in use, less than one 

 per mille gives out every year after twelve years' use, and in the first six 

 years probably only one per two mille. Stoppers of the larger size keep 



