mat SOO ha 
naphthalene and run into the box to a depth sufficient to give a 
firm hold for the pin (about 15-20 mm.). 
Boxes thus lined have now succesfully stood a two years trial at 
Pusa, and the method seems worthy of general recommendation. 
There is no corrosion of the pins, no necessity for treating with 
poisonous washes, and the boxes are completely free of Mites, 
which appear unable to live in them. Naphthalene paraffin wax is 
also used to dip labels as an effective protection against the attacks 
of Fish-insects; this is in place of washing them over with poisons 
such as corrosive sublimate, which is otherwise necessary. 
Ants and Termites are usually excluded by methods of isolation, 
such as standing the legs of shelves or cabinets in saucers by a 
« moat » or channel filled with water. At Pusa a concreted water- 
channel about eignteen inches wide surrounds the whole of the 
laboratory buildings and is kept permanently filled. 
Constant evaporation of alcohol and the changes of volume 
brought about by alterations and temperature make the preserv- 
ation of spirit specimens somewhat troublesome, and there seems to 
be no way of evading the demand for regular inspection of all 
tubes and bottles which are not hermetically sealed.-An effective 
device for closing tubes containing alcohol, which would permit of 
their being at any time opened and reclosed, would be most 
valuable. 
« Viscose » bottle-caps for permanent, and plugs of plasticine for 
temporary closure seem useful and convenient, but the latter 
substance is reliable only with formalin, not with alcohol, for 
which paraffined corks are usually employed. 
Since entomological collections in the tropics are often formed 
in connection with medical research, it may be well to say a word 
on the mounting of small pinned specimens in general, and parti- 
cularly of Diptera and Mosquitoes. These should always be pinned 
to supports with silver or nickel pins; double-pointed pins can be 
bought, and are most useful, as the specimen can be removed, 
examined from all sides, and then replaced. 
Practical experience under foreign conditions has led us to aban- 
don altogether the use of paper discs as supports for Mosquitoes, 
though this method has been widely adopted. For permanent 
collections a much more rigid and solid support is needed. We 
have used papered cork or cork-carpet ; « suberit » (a cork com- 
position) covered with white enamel, which makes a good support ; 
