276 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY. 
formaldehyde. This should be done also with at least some of 
each sex of adult Ceuthophilus, whose abdomens shrivel badly, 
often becoming so distorted as to be identified with difficulty. 
Alcohol of 75 per cent preserves satisfactorily but the colors are 
changed and often destroyed. 
Stuffing. — All large, plump-bodied specimens should be 
stuffed, especially in moist climates. This ensures better preser- 
vation and much less discoloration, which is often great. Stuf- 
fing is done by cutting a slit at one side of the mid-ventral line of 
the abdomen, carefully removing as much as possible of the soft 
contents of the body, and tucking in a little roll of cotton or 
cheese-cloth cut into fine bits with scissors. The cotton may 
be dusted with dry arsenic or other poisonous or absorptive 
substance, if desired, with good results. The specimens should 
then be pinned or packed and dried as rapidlj^ as possible, prefer- 
ably in a current of air. Rapid drying is essential to prevent 
discoloration, whether stuffed or not. 
Preservative liquids. — Mr. Wm. T. Davis has used very suc- 
cessfully for the preservation of the green color of Katydids, 
Cone-headed Grasshoppers, etc., a weak solution of formalde- 
hyde (5 per cent). The insects are placed in it at once after 
capture and remain therein for ten days or longer. They are 
then removed, pinned, spread if desired, set, and dried. This 
method has not given satisfactory results with Locusts. Person- 
ally, I prefer to inject a few drops of an 8 or 10 per cent solution 
of formaldehyde with a hypodermic syringe. 
Packing. — For packing specimens, while on trips of more than a 
day's length, shallow pasteboard boxes of sizes suited to the spec- 
imens, with covers shutting down (not sliding), are best. Those 
from a half inch to an inch in depth, and measuring 1 by 2 up to 
3 by 5 inches are most convenient and desirable ; the plain white 
'jeweler's' boxes, sizes 1 to 7, made by the Dennison Co. in 
assorted sizes and nested together, have proved very satisfactory', 
and take up little space on the outward trip. 
To pack Locusts, have at hand boxes, forceps, scissors, a large 
awl (sharp-pointed scissors will do), cotton wadding or batting, 
tissue paper, flake naphthalin, rubber bands, and pencil. Select 
a box of suitable size to contain the specimens which it is desir- 
able to place together, punch the bottom, top, and sides full of 
