— 120 — 



How shall we collect, in alcohol or cyanide? And how shall we fasten 

 our small beetles, with gum or with shellac? Practice varies in this re- 

 spect and each method has its advantages and corresponding disadvan- 

 tages. Mr. C. Lugger has had an experience this summer that is some- 

 what suggestive. He transported his collection of Coleoptera to New 

 Orleans for the exhibition, and the moist heal of that locality soon 

 began to produce a crop of mould. Careful examination showed that ot 

 insects on cards, those mounted with gum of any kind were uniformly 

 mouldy, while those mounted with shellac as uniformly escaped. Pinned 

 insects collected in cyanide began to mould and decay while those col- 

 lected in alcohol pretty generally remained sound. Southern collectors 

 claim that they cannot use shellac because it hardens so rapidly that the 

 insects turn and twist. Alcohol as a collecting medium has the dis- 

 advantage that it contracts the muscles of the mouth parts. Dr. Horn 

 says that in Bernbidium and many other small Carabidae and many of the 

 Staphylinidce there appears a great difference in the proportions of the 

 joints of the palpi. Two specimens of a Bernbidium examined, showed, 

 one a minute terminal joint hardly \ as long as the preceding; while 

 another, obviously the same species, had the terminal joint fully as long 

 as the second. The first was collected in alcohol, and the terminal joint 

 was retracted far into the second; while the other, collected in cyanide, 

 had the joint extended as far as possible. Care and knowledge are thus 

 imperative in the use of these organs in systematic work. 



^ i * i — 



Book Notices. 

 Vol. VI, Part 2, of the Trans. Am. Conn, Ac. Arts and Sc, is at 

 hand and contains the following of interest to Entomologists. 

 New England Spiders of the family Epeiridae. By J. H. Emerton, pp. 295- 



342, pi. 33-40. 

 New England Lycosidae. By J. H. Emerton, pp. 481-505, pi. 46-59. 

 North American Conopidae, Conclusion. By. Dr. S. W. Williston, pp. 377- 



394. pi. 41. 



Mr. Emerton here continues his studies on the new England spiders, 

 and by his clearly drawn plates and careful text gives a great addition to 

 our knowledge of these handsome though somewhat repugnant insecta. 



Of Dr. Williston's paper we need only say it is good. Our readers 



know his style of work. 



* * 



In the July No. of "The American Monthly Microscopic Journal" 

 is a note by D. S. Kellicott of an aquatic lepidopterous larva probably 

 belonging to Cataclysta, which forms a free case, similar to that of a 

 Phryganeid, with silk, holding together fragments of Lemna &c. 



