1902. j Si) 



The mode of application. Get small Turkey sponges, with as few large passages 

 in them as can be found. Cut them into cubes, or oblongs, each about half a cubic 

 inch in size, and pin each cube into the box by means of two long and strong pins. 

 Take care that the sponge is isolated from everything except the pins. Then apply 

 the carbolic acid to the sponge by means of an ordinary pipette, putting as much on 

 the sponge as it will hold without risk of dripping. 



The carbolic has no injurious influence on the colour of the insects, so long as 

 it does not actually touch them. It is, I think, advantageous as regards greasing, 

 and it is as efficacious against insect destroyers as it is against mould. 



Various devices have been tried as to placing the carbolic in small vessels. But 

 none of these have proved successful. The sponge method is the best. The draw- 

 back to it is the risk of dripping of tbe carbolic from the sponge. This may be 

 rendered unimportant by using the lid of a small cardbox as a saucer. The pins 

 carrying the sponge also carry this saucer. A small interval should separate the 

 sponge from the saucer. 



I may add that if collections are infested with Insects, it is best before using 

 the carbolic acid, to kill the pests by some agent. Benzine is the best. This should 

 be put on the sponges in the same way as the carbolic. The box should then be 

 closed and left for a fortnight, when another application of benzine may be made, 

 if the boxes are badly infected. If this is used, the carbolic may be put on the 

 sponges three or four days after the second application of the benzine. 



With regard to the question how long the carbolic acid acts as a preservative, 

 1 may say that this depends on a number of details. When it is first used in a 

 collection, I advise a second application to be made in about three months. If the 

 collection has been in a very bad state, it will be some time before the destroyers 

 completely disappear, and consequently the frequency of renewal must depend on 

 this, on the climate, on the nature of the boxes, etc. But after the carbolic has been 

 renewed two or three times, the intervals between its application may be extended 

 to one, two or three years. Although 1 have not experimented much with it, I am 

 disposed to entertain the opinion that the vapour of carbolic acid may be a valuable 

 adjunct in rearing insects in confinement, especially when they have to be kept for 

 some time. They are, in such cases, frequently killed by mould. If galls and such 

 objects are placed in vessels with some of the crystalline carbolic acid, so that none 

 of the acid touches the galls, I have found the insects emerge very freely. If the 

 insects are very small, it is desirable to put in the receptable a small vessel con- 

 taining some water. The reason for this being that the carbolic acid seems to 

 exercise a peculiar influence in keeping the air very dry. — Id., Cambridge : March 

 1st, 1902. 



The Victoria History of the Counties of England : a History of 

 Surrey. Insecta, edited by Herbert Gross, F.L.S., &c, pp. 1U2, folio. London : 

 A Constable and Co., Limited. 1902. 



In this Magazine for November, 1900, we called attention to the publication 

 of the first of the Counties, viz., Hampshire, and gave a brief notice of the scope 

 of the intended work and its difficulties. Surrey is now before us, and the Insecta 



H 



