254 MR. A. J. T. JANSE 



thaline or creosote actually kills pests in an insect drawer 

 as all my experiments in that direction are to the con- 

 trary; only carbon bisulphide or cyanide gas kills them. 

 In most cases I think pests are introduced when the 

 boxes are reasonably well made; for this reason I ad 

 vocate the fumigation of specimens before they are in- 

 corporated into the collection. The pests that attack 

 the collections^ or try to, are usually the larvrc- of beetles 

 of the genera Antlueniis or DermesteSf or mites. The 

 latter are especially troublesome to specimens on the 

 setting-boards, but I find that the sublimating of the 

 setting-board is an excellent precaution against the in- 

 cursions of these minute nuisances. 



Camphor is more expensive than naphthaline, and, al- 

 though many entomologists still use it, is not as good in 

 my opinion. 



Greasy Specimens. 



Certain Lepidoptera have a marked tendency to 

 become greasy. This spoils the abdomen and thorax, 

 and often extends over the wings, and so ruins 

 the whole insect. To prevent greasiness, such species 

 as are likely to become so at one time or another, 

 should be treated before setting. The abdomen should 

 be opened on the underside when the specimen is largo, 

 or when rather small, broken off and the fat removed 

 mechanically in the one case or by soaking in ether or 

 benzine in the other. This is better than waiting till the 

 harm is done. After the first treatment the abdomen 

 can be filled up with a little cotton wool, care being 

 taken not to remove too many scales and hairs. After 

 the second treatment, it is glued on to the thorax with 

 either shellac dissolved in alcohol or with seccotine. 

 Both these substances can also be used for inending a 

 broken part; but it should be remembered that a repai/ed 

 specimen is always inferior to one which has its part 

 naturally fixed, however well the mending may have been 

 done. Only specimens which cannot be replaced should 

 be mended. It must not be thought that a repaired or 



