1897.] 249 



sunny. In August and September most of the ants belonging to the 

 Myrmicidce swarm, and a look out for the winged forms should be kept. 

 These are often picked up in the sweeping net when searching for 

 Coleoptera and Semiftera. As a rule, after the middle of September 

 it is not worth while to go out specially for Aculeate Hymenoptera, 

 unless the weather is particularly favourable. 



1 will conclude these notes with a few remarks on preparing 

 and storing specimens after they are safely brought home. If the 

 object of the collector is thoroughly to know the creatures which 

 he is dealing with, then his first endeavour should be so to prepare 

 his specimens that he can freely examine every part of them ; 

 fortunately for those to whom time is an object, this preparation is 

 very simple ; the specimens may be either pinned through the meso- 

 thorax, leaving the wings and legs to arrange themselves, or they may 

 be glued on to narrow points of card, so that only a very small part of 

 the under-side of the thorax is hidden ; for small species I think the 

 latter plan is certainly the best, as a pin, however fine, often almost 

 destroys the mesonotum and renders any examination of its sculpture 

 practically impossible ; whereas if the card is cut into quite a sharp 

 point, and the insect poised just at the apex, only an infinitesimal 

 part is hidden, and if turned on one side this even is of no consequence, 

 as the other side will be exposed. Care should be taken when possible 

 to open the mandibles and stretch out the tongue, and also to extract 

 the armature of the ^ specimens, which may be done (easily after a 

 little practice) by inserting a fine needle at the apex of the body. 

 Much as one may admire the symmetry of beautifully "carded" 

 specimens, one is obliged to condemn them as unscientific, as one can- 

 not examine either the mandibles, or the under-side, or the sides of 

 the thorax under the wings, nor, as a rule, can one get a good view of 

 the claws, as they are generally more or less clogged with gum ; all 

 these parts present valuable specific characters, and to hide them 

 renders the determination of the specimens often absolutely impos- 

 sible. Souie entomologists pin their captures and spread out the wings 

 as is done in the case of butterflies and moths ; even this, I think, is 

 objectionable, as the extended wing prevents a strong lens from 

 approaching the mesopleurge near enough to be used. To make a 

 collection look nice should, I think, be au object with every collector, 

 but one cannot too strongly urge the importance of sacrificing every- 

 thing which hinders practical scientific examination. It is a great 

 advantage to get the specimens high up on the pins, by this method 

 more room is left for labels beneath, and the insects are less liable to 



