1914. 



175 



I may add that the insect is partial to desert, away from cultiva- 

 tion, and that Convolvulus Janatus is almost certainly its food-plant, 

 near which it is always to be found. I should describe it as locally 

 common, but decidedly difficult to capture, as the insect has the 

 habit of settling on the bare rock and sand, which its underside 

 admirably matches. It has a swift, darting flight. 



Cairo : May 13th, 1914. 



A chloroform killing and relaxing bottle. — With reference to the note 

 by Mr. G. V. Hudson in this Magazine last month (p. 94), on a "chloroform" 

 killing bottle. I venture to send you herewith a sketch and description of a 

 bottle, constructed by me, which I find answers all requirements very well. If I 

 remember rightly its cost was about 1/6. The reason I use a layer of muslin 

 or similar material over the brass wire gauze is that the latter is so rough that 

 it might abrade the wings of the insects or their legs might get caught in it, 

 and break when being removed ; the leather ringed with gauze (A) can be of 

 course pushed in as far as desired, and laurel leaves may be used for relaxing 

 captures, by being placed between A and B. 



The cork must be covered with chamois leather, as otherwise the edge of 

 the glass will crumble the cork and make the insects dusty. This covering is 

 easily affixed with glue or seccotine, and if the covered cork is put into the 

 bottle to dry, the leather is thus stretched and kept taut whilst drying. In 

 practice I shape the cork with a " shoulder " and cover the whole of it (except 

 flat top) with the leather. 



I find chloroform or ether much the best medium for killing Hymenoptera, 

 and before I made this bottle I found it very troublesome (and risky) opening 

 the bottle to recharge it, as the insects would immediately escape. The 



