l56 TtJE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



should tlieie happen to be (which is often the case) a hard 

 place in the cork the pin doubles up, and thus many a 

 valuable insect has been destroyed. When miles are detected, 

 the spot where the little dust that betokens their presence is 

 collected underneath the specimens should be well saturated 

 with phoenic acid, or an alcoholic solution of carbolic acid, 

 which will do as well and is cheaper; the body of the insect 

 also, except in the case of green insects, when benzine should 

 be employed. Grease, though troublesome, is by no means 

 impossible to get rid of In this case exception is to be taken 

 to the established rule that " Prevention is better than cure." 

 It is far better to let the specimens get greasy than try to 

 prevent it, as with the most skilful manipulation stuffed 

 bodies cannot but look unsightly. When ihey have become 

 greasy the bodies must be broken off, and soaked for a time 

 ■ — varying according to size — in benzine. My friend Mr, 

 Corbin showed me in his cabinet such large bodies as those 

 of Acherontia Atropos treated in this way, every trace of 

 grease being removed. He gave it as his experience that 

 Atropos is very liable to grease : this varies with my own ; I 

 have never had a greasy specimen. It is well, unless abso- 

 lutely necessary, not to saturate the wings with any prepara- 

 tion, as it frequently results in the disarrangement or matting 

 together of the cilia, which cannot afterwards be put right. 

 Dr. Lees tells me that he considers grease rather as a 

 preservative than otherwise. To quote his words: — " I do 

 not regard it as a putrefactive change, but in its nature rather 

 the opposite (though it spoils the look of specimens), and 

 more analogous to a peculiar fatty production which takes 

 place in dead human and other bodies, after they have been 

 interred some time. The whole body often becomes changed 

 into this peculiar solid, greasy matter, which is very 

 imperishable." — Joseplt Anderson, jun. ; Cliichester, Sussex. 

 Grease and Mites. — I see several correspondents enquire 

 about grease and mites. I am now pursuing a course with 

 my collection which I believe to be a perfect preventative of 

 both, and intend to replace all my common moths this 

 season. My plan is this : — When the insect is killed I clip 

 the body open (underneath), and take out the inside; I then 

 fill the skin with plaster of Paris, and place it on the setting- 

 board. When it is fit to remove 1 take it off the board, and, 



