66 THE entomologist's record. 



considerable. I thought this insect was everywhere abundant, but if 

 not, and anyone desires it, will do my best for them. The imago 

 is always much rarer than the larvoe. — A. E. Hall, Norbury, Sheffield. 

 May, 1890. 



Peach and Nectarine blight. — I should be much obliged if any- 

 one can tell me the cause of the leaves of peach and nectarine trees 

 becoming blighted yearly at this season. It seems to be due to Aphis 

 attack ; but I have never succeeded in detecting the insects causing 

 the mischief. — Joseph Anderson, jr. 



[I am inclined to believe this is due to imperfect nutrition or root 

 action, but comments are invited from correspondents. — Ed.] 



Killing Insects, — I captured, last Wednesday, a specimen of 

 Libellula depressa, drying its wings on a grass stem. On reaching home 

 I put it in a killing bottle, which I had prepared myself a fortnight 

 before. About an hour afterwards I opened the bottle again to put in 

 a specimen of Rumia cratcegafa, and was surprised to find depressa still 

 alive, espt'cially as I was sure the bottle was a very strong one, so I 

 timed the specimen of cratcegata, and it was quite dead in 25 seconds 

 from the time I put it in. Could any of the readers of the Entomologisfs 

 Record \.€i\ if all the genus Libellula are so tenacious of life or would 

 its recent emergence in any way account for it ? 



I can fully corroborate Mr. Raynor's statement in his paper on 

 " Killing Lepidoptera," with regard to the effects of potassium cyanide 

 fumes in relaxing insects, for I left my specimen of Z. depressa in the 

 bottle for 48 hours, and when I then took it out to set, it could not 

 have been in a better condition. — 1). H. S. Steuart, Radley College, 

 Oxford. May iWi, 1890. 



Last month I mentioned that I always killed my specimens with 

 strong liquid ammonia, and one advantage of this over cyanide of 

 potassium, has just presented itself to me. On April 26th I took 7 

 specimens of Biston hirfaria, and killed them with ammonia. These 

 were ready to come off the boards in a week. Mr. Hodges gave me a 

 dozen or more specimens killed the same day with cyanide of po- 

 tassium. Some of these are not dry yet, although almost a month has 

 elapsed. This would be a serious matter in the summer time when 

 one's setting boards are wanted. 



I have had several letters from well-known lepidopterists saying that 

 they have used zinc boxes for many years, and have never had mould 

 in their collections. The writers must forgive me for not printing these 

 letters in extenso, but with the excepfion of suggestions that insufficient 

 drying before removing from setting boards, placing cabinets, etc., a few 

 inches only from an outside wall of the house, and having the cabinets 

 not standing free from the ground for some inches, are the most fruitful 

 causes of mould, there is nothing of importance to the general reader. — 

 J, W. Tutt. May 26th, 1890. 



Rearing Lasiocampa quercifolia. — I bred this species some few- 

 years ago from the egg, and kept my larvae outside, but sheltered from 

 the rain. They were kept in an ordinary breeding cage and i\v-i larvae 

 lay along the dry twigs of the hawthorn. During the winter I lost very 

 few, but the greatest mortality occuired when they were full fed. Just 



