148 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Relaxing an Insect hy Plaster of Paris. — I tried my hand 

 at relaxing an insect (Elpenor) that had remained unset 

 thirty years. I placed it in a tin box with plaster of Paris 

 for two days, and on opening the box found it perfectly 

 relaxed: 1 set it; and now I can with difficulty distinguish 

 it from the recent specimens. — E. Chawner. 



I shall be obliged by additional information as to how the 

 plaster of Paris was applied. 



Parasite of the Shrimp. — The tubercular complaint in 

 shrimps, to which J. Williams alludes, is caused by the 

 presence of a crustacean under the carapace : it belongs to 

 the genus Bopyrus, but the species are not well made out ; 

 and it is possible that, as it is said, every animal has its 

 peculiar louse, and every plant its peculiar plant-louse, so 

 may every species of Palaemon and Crangon have its 

 Bopyrus. That infesting the prawn is usually Bopyrus 

 Squillarura, and that on the slirimp B. Crangonum. It is 

 always found under the carapace; but whether it is parasitic 

 on the prawn, or whether the carapace of the prawn is its 

 home, it is difficult to say. 



Scodiona Belgiaria. — What is the experience of the 

 readers of the ' Entomologist' with regard to the occurrence 

 of this species this season ? With me it has been very rare. 

 1 have seen but one worn male up to this dale (June 20lh), and 

 that was taken June 15th. The season is undoubtedly back- 

 ward ; but in former years I have taken Belgiaria in May. 

 On referring to my diary I find the earliest date is May 10th 

 (1867), when I took a male, and on the 16th of the same 

 month I took a female. Several other things, beside the 

 species in queslion, are scarce this season ; but we need 

 scarcely wonder when we recollect that we had ice in May^, 

 and frosts in the first half of June, even in the South of 

 England. 1 trust that the portion of the collecting season 

 now before us will be more beneficial to our cabinets and 

 duplicate boxes than the past has proved. — G. B. Corhin ; 

 lliitgwood. 



Scorpion Fly{?) and C. Dominitla. — Last season whilst 

 collecting in the meadows I caught a C. Dominula, and a Hy 

 — which 1 believe to be the scorpion fly — had thrust its beak 

 into the thorax of the poor " scarlet tiger," and was sucking 

 its juices. Is such a thing of frequent occurrence .? The 

 murderer in question had beautifully veined wings, spotted 



