250 [November, 



be eaten by mites, &c , which do not find it easy to walk up the pin, 

 also a strong lens can be brought to bear on the thorax, which is 

 impossible if the pin projects far above the surface of the insect. 

 Long fine pins are most difficult to manipulate ; it is therefore better, 

 when a fine pin is required to use a short one and to " stage " it, i. e., 

 to pin it through a piece of card and then put a long strong pin 

 through the latter. 



By this method all one's specimens, large and small, can be 

 brought up to one level, and thereby examination is materially assisted. 

 The pins I use for small species are the finest made for "Micros]'' 

 silver pins should be employed, if possible (as they will not verdigris), 

 but they are so expensive that their use is almost prohibitory ; for 

 large species and for cards I use No. 1 of Kirby Beard's series. If 

 glue has to be used, any of the liquid glues that are sold, such as 

 " Le Page," &c., will answer the purpose. The card for staging should 

 be good, as some of the common card sold is so rotten that it will not 

 hold the pins firmly. 



Every specimen should be labelled, and as much information as 

 possible should be put on the label : the locality and date of capture 

 should always be given, and a number may be added referring to a 

 journal in which fuller data may be recorded. I find it convenient to 

 record in my journal the walk taken and the localities visited, and the 

 rarer species captured on each day, as by this plan a record is kept 

 from which one can see where rarities have occurred, without reference 

 to the specimens themselves, so as to revisit the localities on future 

 occasions. If insects are received from other collectors the original 

 labels should be retained, and a new one stating from whom the speci- 

 men was received, &c., added. 



There is always a difference of opinion amongst entomologists as 

 to whether cabinets or boxes are best for housing one's captures. I 

 have been used to boxes all my life, and, therefore, am possibly 

 prejudiced in their favour — anyhow, for Hymenoptera I greatly prefer 

 them, and use the shallow single-sided ones, which are supplied by 

 Mr. 0. E. Janson. These are only just deep enough to take the full 

 length Vienna pins so largely used on the continent. The great 

 advantage of these shallow boxes is that the insects are brought close 

 to the eye, and a lens can be used without removing them from the 

 box ; at the same time I must remark that double-sided boxes are 

 more economical. 



As a preservative from the attacks of mites, &c., naphthaline is 

 probably the most efilcieut ; personally I use it in the form of 



