THE BRITISH PTEROPHORI. 53 



Alucita polydactyla is frequently met with, hybernating in 

 outhouses, and in the spring and autumn among honeysuckles, on 

 which the larva feeds. 



Most of the foregoing will be obtained by those who care to 

 look for them, during the coming season, and possibly some 

 others of the group. 



A few words about " setting " may not be out of place. 

 There is no real difficulty in the satisfactory manipulation of a 

 Pterophorus or even of an Alucita, provided the insect is in a 

 proper relaxed condition after death. If it is in the least stiff, 

 the legs will be as brittle as glass, snapping off when touched, in 

 the most vexatious and tantalising manner. The feathers of the 

 wings will, moreover, refuse to unfold ; a state of things cal- 

 culated to deter one from any further attempt to become better 

 acquainted with the group. 



I use strong liquid ammonia for killing all my insects, except 

 green ones, and even some of these are in no way hurt by it. 

 As far as my experience goes, it is certainly the best agent I 

 know of for successfully killing insects. There may be objections 

 to its use ; I have not found any, and even if I had, the splendid 

 flaccidity of specimens under its action would more than balance 

 matters. 



Pterophori killed with ammonia may remain in the jar (of 

 course in boxes) all night, and when turned out next morning 

 should be left for about half an hour before pinning. By the 

 way, care must be taken in the latter operation, or legs will be 

 pushed off with the pin's point ; let this show quite a quarter of 

 an inch under the thorax. In putting the specimen on the set- 

 ting-board, do not press the pin far into the cork at first, only 

 just far enough to hold firm whilst the legs are got out of the 

 groove, and drawn partly into position. This being done, press 

 down in the usual fashion, and arrange the legs finally. The 

 wings will be found to spread easily enough. 



If the black pins lately introduced by Mr. Meek possess the 

 virtue claimed for them, they are the very things for the insects 

 in question, for unfortunately some of the species are very prone 

 to set up verdigris. 



As I stated before, I shall in my next paper describe some of 

 the species, their larvae and habits. I hope during the year to 

 give an account of the larger proportion of this group. 



(To be continued.) 



