32 CONNECTICUT GEOL. AND NAT. HIST. SURVEY [BuU. 



If much collecting is done, some sort of carrying satchel should 

 be provided. Williamson constructed an ideal bag which is com- 

 posed of a leather case (7^ x 11 inches by 8^ inches high) into 

 which he fits a series of tin boxes of assorted sizes, allowing him 

 to shift them with ease and still keep his material separate. He 

 has attached to the rear of the bag a ring which fastens to the belt 

 and keeps the bag at the back when stooping or running. Small 

 hunting bags which serve the purpose fairly well may be had on 

 the market and are suitable for collecting dragonflies. 



It is well to give more attention to preserving specimens after 

 they are collected, however, than to waste too much thought and 

 time over the manner of collecting. 



Nymphs are well preserved in 80% alcohol. Formalin should 

 not be used, or heat, except perhaps 1% formalin in 80% alcohol. 

 Adults, if placed in 80% alcohol, are preserved admirably, includ- 

 ing colors. Reared specimens should be preserved in alcohol, 

 since nymphal skin and adult may be kept together more easily 

 than if pinned. Dr. Calvert, however, mounts exuviae of damsel 

 fly nymphs on a square of mica, covering the whole with trans- 

 parent cement, and pins it with the adult. If specimens are reared, 

 care must be taken to allow full color to develop in the adult. 

 Some workers while collecting keep on the alert for emerging 

 nymphs, which may often be found along the banks, on weeds and 

 shrubs ; these they place in paper bags until fully colored and 

 developed and do not kill until then. One cannot be too careful, 

 however, in this kind of collecting to associate the proper exuviae 

 with the adult that emerged from it. 



For killing adults, bottles about two inches in diameter and 

 four in height should be obtained. Sodium cyanide in pieces the 

 size of a pea or smaller should be scattered over the bottom and 

 sealed in place by pouring in plaster of paris and water about the 

 thickness of cream. If desired, sawdust may be placed over the 

 cyanide and held in place with circles of cardboard. Smaller 

 killing bottles may be constructed of thick-walled test tubes with 

 sawdust and cyanide kept in place with cardboard or heavy blotting 

 paper cut with a gun-wad punch. 



Care must be taken not to allow killing bottles to become moist, 

 since dragonflies coming in contact with moisture saturated v/ith 

 cyanide are quickly spoiled. To this end bottles should be aired 

 before using, allowing the plaster to set and become hard and the 

 excess moisture to escape. Still further care should be taken to 

 clear out the cyanide bottle or tube frequently while collecting, 

 removing the contents to envelopes or small boxes. 



After killing, all specimens must be dried thoroughly and may 

 be stored then in boxes or triangles of paper. If it is desirable 

 to spread the wings, a setting board such as is used for moths 



