THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 206 



27th, 1870 ; and consisted of the usual butterfly appa- 

 ratus, and cyanide bottle we use at home ; also a 

 wide-mouthed bottle, one-third filled with sawdust, con- 

 taining a very small piece of cyanide of potassium, for 

 beetles, scorpions, &c., which is emptied into a sheet 

 of paper on returning home, the insects taken out and 

 put into a stock-bottle, the cyanide and sawdust being 

 returned to the bottle for the field ; an ounce of pure 

 chloroform for stupifying snakes, lizards, &c., — if the 

 scorpions appear unusually savage I generally pour a few 

 drops on to them, before attempting to get them into the 

 sawdust and cyanide bottle; a small bottle of oxalic acid, 

 and a pen for sticking large Lepidoplera ; one or two 

 squares of linen, and strong elastic bands for tying up snakes, 

 making up the complement. 



Now to the requisites for personal use : — 



1. A drachm of olive-oil, with which I well smear the eye- 

 lids, nostrils, &c., on entering the collecting ground, to keep 

 off the flies. The veil, so generally used, makes one unbear- 

 ably hot, and at the same time interferes with the sight when 

 hunting small insects. The flies and thirst were my greatest 

 enemies while collecting. 



2. Some Ledum Palustre (a homceopathic tincture) for 

 stings and bites of spiders, &c. 



3. A charcoal or " officer's syphon," as made by Messrs. 

 Atkins, Strand, for drinking out of stagnant pools and 

 ditches. 



4. Haifa pint of pure brandy in case of snake-bite. 



5. When collecting far out in the bush, many miles from 

 dwellings, the "ammonia syringe," for injecting into the 

 veins when bitten by snakes. Much has been said in favour 

 of and against this recent invention; and Dr. Gosse, of 

 Adelaide, and others, inform me that if the bite happens to 

 be a haruiless one, and the ammonia cure is used, death will 

 quickly ensue, owing to a too rapid action of the heart. 

 Having taken many scientific opinions on the subject, I 

 determined to act on the following plan if bitten, which 

 fortunately was never the case. The moment a snake bites 

 you commence drinking the strongest brandy, taking about 

 a pint during, say, from ten to fifteen minutes, using violent 

 exercise to induce profuse perspiration. Li' the bite is a 



