22 E. B. WlIvUAMSON 



one part to ten parts of water, dipping a small rag in the mixture and moist- 

 ening the entire body, morning and evening, and sometimes once during 

 the night ; in each case we allowed the fluid to dry on the body. It acts as 

 a local anesthetic, and allays the irritation caused by the bites of other in- 

 sects. It is also a splendid antiseptic. Its use enables one to collect where 

 continuous field work would otherwise be impossible. 



It may be remarked that the country about Santa Marta and more 

 especially the country about El Banco have more than their share of biting 

 and burrowing pests. At Bolivar excessive swelling of the hands, caused 

 by insect bites, compelled J. W. to stay indoors a day or two. He counted 

 one hundred and sixteen fresh bites on one arm one day. At El Banco we 

 entertained red bugs by the thousands. Aqua ammonia was also useful in 

 allaying the irritation caused by insect bites, and a scorpion sting J. W. 

 received at Maraquita gave him little trouble when so treated. The prickles 

 of a large leaved spiny plant, called ortiga or pringamosa, which were very 

 irritating, invariably produced pustules in spite of all our remedies. Among 

 so many spiny plants scratches and cuts result almost daily and m wading 

 among logs and rocks one's shins are frequently barked. The wounds so 

 caused were thoroughly cleansed and rubbed with a bit of gauze or cotton 

 soaked in a solution of one hundred and twenty grains of resorcin and 

 twenty grains of salicylic acid in eight ounces of fifty per cent alcohol. 

 During the entire trip no wound became infected. Constant wading softens 

 the feet and often the toes about the nails become sore and irritated. Iodine 

 is the best treatment for this. It was found helpful to dust in our dry socks, 

 after the day's collecting, a mixture of talcum powder, powered alum and 

 sulphur. An attack of "dobie itch" was quickly cured with balsam of Peru 

 after treating it without success with iodine and later with boracic acid. 



Of course we carried the other paraphenalia usually found m iirst-aid 

 outfits, but the above suggestions may prove useful to one planning his first 

 collecting trip in the tropics. It should also be stated that salol is very 

 valuable as an intestinal antiseptic; a missionary nurse told us she cured 

 many cases of dysentery with it. J. W. had occasion to use it at one time 

 and it gave almost immediate relief. 



Collecting Methods. — The methods employed were essentially those 

 which I have previously described.^ However, a few additional suggestions 

 may be made. In papering it is well to hold the envelope flat and leave the 

 abdomen of the insect, especially of coenagrionines, a little above and 

 parallel to the long fold in the envelope, and thus avoid pinching the speci- 

 men in the fold of the paper when the envelope is closed. At Cristalina our 

 supply of smaller envelopes became exhausted, and it was necessary to 

 paper several specimens in one envelope. This was accomplished by keeping 

 the abdomens parallel and at right angles to the long fold in the envelope, 

 arranging the insects so that the pressure of the envelope fell entirely on 

 thoraces. The envelope was so placed in the drier that the abdomens hung 



^ "Directions for Collecting and Preserving Specimens of Dragonfiies for Museum 

 Purposes." Misc. Publ., Mus. of Zoology, Univ. of Mich., No. i. 



