42 



COLLECTING AND PRESERVING INSECTS. 



returned to the collecting bottles for future use. Any descrip- 

 tion of wide-mouthed bottles, such as pickle-jars, may be used 

 as stock bottles ; they should, however, have tightly -fitting 

 corks or bungs. Before putting the insects collected into the 

 stock bottle, throw into it sawdust a quarter of an inch in 

 thickness, sliglitly damped, not moistened, with a mixture made 

 of alcohol (methylated spirit will answer admirably ; brandy or 

 strong whiskey, if unsweetened, will suffice, but sweetened gin 

 and rum must be avoided), or, still better, benzine or ben- 

 zoline, and carbolic or phenic acid. These should be mixed in 

 the proportions of nineteen parts of alcohol or benzine ami 

 one part of carbolic acicl. On the sawdust damped with this 

 mixture place a layer of insects ; over them a second stratum 

 of damped sawdust, then a second layer of insects, and so on 

 alternately until the stock-bottle or jar is filled ; take care that 

 it is always kept well-closed. When it is filled it may be 

 packed with any other objects in sawdust, hay, moss, or any 

 other elastic substance, and forwarded to its destination.' " 



Special attention should be given to the collection of the 

 larvjfi of beetles, called grubs. They are found in soil, under 

 the bark of trees, in nuts, etc., and in fresh water pools. 



HEMIPTERA. 



BUGS, PLANT LICE, BARK LICE, LICE. 



This group of insects has been greatly neglected, as they 

 are not the favorites of entomologists. By sweeping grass 



Fig. 39. Fig. 40. Fig. 41. 



Stiretrus. Arma. Thrips. 



and herbage, as for beetles, in the latter part of summer, large 

 numbers occur which can only be obtained in this way. Hi- 



