256 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



On Capturing, Killing and Setting Hymenoptera. — [The 

 following recommendations and suggestions are by Mr. 

 Frederick Smith, of the British Museum, and are published 

 in the 'Entomologist's Monthly Magazine' for August. I 

 have, perhaps, captured, killed and set more British bees than 

 any man living, and therefore am qualified to express an 

 opinion on Mr. Smith's method. Mr, Smith's observations 

 are elicited by a previous paper of Dr. Kriechbaumer's, the 

 advice given in which Mr. Smith by no means inclines to 

 follow. After criticising somewhat severely the Doctor's 

 method, Mr. Smith proceeds as follows, and I bear most 

 willing testimony to the value of his advice. It comes here 

 very appropriately as a sequel to Mr. Fitch's recommenda- 

 tions in the case of gall-flies, which appeared in the July 

 number of the 'Entomologist.' — Edward Newman.^ 



" I will, as briefly as I can, describe my own method of 

 capturing and setting Hymenoptera, and leave it for Hyme- 

 nopterists to try both methods, and make known their 

 opinions which is the better. I capture my insects with a 

 bag-net (when I consider a net necessary, because I really 

 capture three-fourths with my fingers) made of the very 

 finest white net that is manufactured, twenty-two meshes to 

 the inch : this is only to be procured at a few of the best 

 shops in London. When collecting, I carry a good supply 

 of the best block pill-boxes of diff'erent sizes, packed in a flat 

 tin case that fits a satchel ; this prevents the boxes being 

 crushed in travelling to my hunting-ground. On arriving 

 there I transfer the boxes to the right-hand pocket of my 

 coat. When I capture an insect in my net I select a proper- 

 sized box, take ofi" the lid, and secure the insect in it against 

 the side of the net; then, with a little manipulation, I put on 

 the lid. The insect is now quite uninjured, with not a hair 

 on its body ruffled. Each capture I thus secure in a separate 

 box. These boxes 1 put into the left-hand pocket of my 

 coat ; and when 1 have filled a number, or have taken some 

 great rarity, I put them back into the tin case ; if a rarity, I 

 frequently put the box in which I first secured it into one a 

 size larger. Before starting on an excursion I examine all 

 my boxes, to be sure that the lids fit closely ; if they do not, 

 a strip of paper pasted round the rims makes them secure. 

 On arriving home I proceed to kill the insects : I take first 



