96 



BULLETIN 67, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Fig. 149.— A scale insect, Chionaspis furfuruk: 

 a, Female scales; 6, male scales; c, female 

 enlarged; d, male enlarged. 



margin of the scales so that they will lie flat upon the slides. Great 



care must be exercised to secure a good mount of such soft-bodied 



scales as the mealy-bugs, it be- 

 ing necessary to float the speci- 

 mens onto the slide and handle 

 them with extreme care to pre- 

 vent them from curling and fold- 

 ing. Canada balsam having been 

 placed on the insect and the 

 cover glass applied, the slide is 

 heated as in mounting the dia- 

 spine scales. 



Sometimes it is desirable to 

 stain the specimens. This should 

 be done while the insect is im- 

 mersed in alcohol, or at least 

 before xylol or clove oil is ap- 

 plied. One of the very best 



stains which has been used for this purpose is ordinary carmine ink, 



which can be used in conjunction with weak alcohol. 

 Another method of mounting the insects in situ 



for superficial examination was originated by Prof. 



Herbert Osborn, of the Ohio State University. 



Diaspine scales or any flat scale insects when 



perfectly dry can be readily mounted between two 



strips of mica of the same dimensions as the 



ordinary microscope slide with the passe-partout 



method — i. e., the edges of the mica are sealed by 



means of gummed strips. Specimens mounted in 



this way are available for eas} r examination, and 



can be filed along with the ordinary slide mounts. 

 The Anoplura, or lice, may be collected on the 



domestic and wild animals and should always be 



mounted in balsam on slides. 



ORTHOPTERA. 



A large number of Orthoptera can be obtained 

 by sweeping meadows and herbage. Many of the 

 crickets occur on the ground; others are to be 

 found on shrubbery. Roaches (fig. 11) are found 

 under loose bark of trees, among rotten logs and 

 fallen leaves. Most of them found are young, 

 but by looking at different times one will find 

 the winged ones, usually in May or June. Their egg-cases, or 

 ootheca, should be saved, as that of each species has a characteristic 



Fig. 150.— A walking- 

 stick, Megaphasma 

 denticrus. 



